20 ON THE ROMAN MILITARY ROAD 
of Whalley, and adopted that part near to Lower 
Darwen church as a portion of the road, which is 
really so. 
I could bring forward numerous other quota- 
tions from other authors of different lines, as 
portions of this military way, all remote from it 
and from the truth, but to do so would be a waste 
of time. It is a pity that in local histories, mis- 
statements of this kind should be found, when 
the truth might have been so easily ascertained 
by an actual survey. Hearsay should form no 
part of history. 
At Mellor, near Blackburn, are the remains of 
a small entrenchment on the heights, in perfect 
preservation, which is considered a small Roman 
fort. It consists of a rectangle of 100 paces or 
yards in perimeter, and therefore, requiring no 
more than 100 men to man it. It might be an 
outpost of observation, but has no capacity for, 
nor character of, defence. It is so situated, 
that Ribchester church is very evident from it. 
And Ribchester church is in the area of the 
Roman station there. And as by removing a few 
score yards either to the east or to the west of 
it, Ribchester is completely hidden from the 
