A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



exposed near Newchurch, was traceable near the earthwork at Portficld (q.v.), 

 and finally joined the Roman road which ran north-west from Ribchester. 

 A second ran nearly southward. A third went north through Colne into 

 Yorkshire. Single specimens of Roman coins have been found around the 

 hill, and several hoards have been unearthed not far away ; but no other 

 discoveries in connexion with the site appear to be on record. 



These entrenchments have been described by many writers as those of a 

 Roman camp, and this has even received the name of ' Calunio ' ; but there 

 is no foundation for such an identification. The earthworks outwardly 

 resemble many hill-fortresses seen elsewhere which have been proved to be 

 the work of prehistoric inhabitants of the country. But the spade, carefully 

 used, is required to throw light upon the matter here.* 



TiNTWisTLE (i2 milcs east of Manchester). — On Buckton Moor, in the 

 north-west of this parish, and three-quarters of a mile east-south-east of 

 Mossley Station (L. and N.W. Railway), is an ancient stronghold known as 

 Buckton Castle. It is a small earthwork of uncertain origin, but seems best 

 included in the class we are now considering. Though formerly in Cheshire, 

 this district is, as shown in recent Ordnance Survey maps, now apportioned 

 to the county of Lancaster. 



The site of the ' Castle* is 1,123 ft. above sea level, and is on the edge 

 of the high hills which run on the left of the deep valley formed by the 

 River Tame. Behind it, to the north-east, the moor gradually rises to a 

 height of 1,540 ft. a mile and a half away ; to the north the ground falls 

 slightly. To the west the hill-side drops very steeply towards the long defile 

 of the Tame valley, the fall being at first as much as 300 ft. in a horizontal 

 distance of 200 yards. To the south the little Car Brook runs at the bottom 

 of a gorge a quarter of a mile away, and some 500 ft. lower. Perched as it 

 is on the edge of such steep declivities, the earthwork forms an imposing 

 object upon the sky-line when viewed cither from the west, or especially from 

 the south. The outlook from it is most extensive, reaching far away over 

 the plain of Cheshire to the south, and over south-east Lancashire on the 

 west and north, while to the east parts of Derbyshire and West Nab in 

 Yorkshire are visible. Although situated upon ground which rises on the 

 north-east side, its interior area is sufficiently raised above the adjacent moor 

 to make the command from it complete. 



An ancient road runs north and south along the side of the hill just below 

 the 'Castle,' and the Roman fortress called Melandra lies 4 miles to the south. 



The earthwork consists of a raised interior platform surrounded by a ram- 

 part ; outside this is a broad and deep fosse on three of its sides ; on the fourth 

 the steep natural scarp of the hill beyond the rampart is ample protection. 



Buckton Castle has been frequently described by local historians and 

 others, some of whom have placed on record details of interest in connexion 

 with it. As far back as 1776 the Rev. John Watson wrote an account of it 

 in Archaeologia, and this seems to have caused Aiken to visit it about 1793, 

 and Ormerod in 18 17. The following is a brief description of the remains 

 as now existing. The small interior platform, which has the appearance of 



* Whittaker, Hist, of Manchester, i, 134, 186; Whittaker, Hist. ofWhaUej (ed. 1872), i, 42, 44. Watkin 

 Roman LarKs.i6,i<)<); Bziaes, Hist, of Lanes, {ed. 1868), ii, 27; Ord. Surv. i-in. 68; old 92 SW.; 6-in. 1:6 NE.- 

 25-in. 56, 8. • 3 •» 



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