532 AN ACCOUNT OF A ROMAN PUBLIC WAY. 
five feet below the present surface. And, there- 
fore, in crossing the steep declivity to a brook, it 
often happens, that the hollow track of the Roman 
Road is still visible. 
Mr. Whitaker placed Coccium at Blackrode ; 
and, it was generally thought, that the Roman 
Road went from Haydock Lodge to Blackrode, 
in the direction of Strangeways, Lord Street, and 
Castle Hill, near Hindley. Butin Mr. Whitaker’s 
History of Manchester, Book I., Chap. 4, Sec. 3, 
Note 9, we find, that “ Mr. Percival imagines an 
Iter to be lost, in Antonine, and Richard, that 
went from Kinderton to five camps, at Warrington, 
Wigan, Penwortham, Garstang, and Lancaster.” 
In 1831, it was proved, as Mr. Percival had 
supposed, that the Roman Road found at Haydock 
Lodge was part of the great Road, passing 
through Warrington and Wigan, and going up to 
Standish ; and, from thence nearly in the line of 
the present public road to Walton, near Preston. 
This being proved, it seemed probable that there 
would be a Roman road from Wigan to Man- 
chester ; and, it was soon found, that there was a 
Roman road from Wigan, passing over Ambers- 
wood Common, Caer Common, Moseley Common, 
and by Hope Hall to Manchester. An account 
