6 ON THE ROMAN MILITARY ROAD 
low the surface of the soil, just beneath the reach 
of the plough. He besides pointed out to us 
the course of this line across other fields belong- 
ing to his farm. And when asked, if he ever 
heard aught about what it was, he instantly re- 
plied,—“ It was an old road that the devil made, 
called the devil’s way by the old people still.” 
At Starling too, where the Roman road coincides 
with the modern road from Manchester to Black- 
burn, that portion is known by the name of Black- 
burn-street, and forms the boundary between the 
Parishes of Bury and Radcliffe, which boundary 
also runs thence to Spen Moor, along the very site 
of the Roman road, without regard to fences, brook, 
or any natural demarcation for such a division. 
Hitherto no notice has been taken of accounts 
given by different authors of the line of this road ; 
because in the first place, it has been deemed 
advisable to allow the remains as pointed out to 
speak for themselves, by identifying them (should 
any one think it worth while to do so,) at the 
several localities. In self-defence, however, I 
am bound to bring forward all differences, not 
for the sake of finding fault, but that the public 
may judge and determine. In Baines’ History 
of Lancashire, vol. III. p. 7, we find the following 
