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Ilkley to Manchester, which passes through the township of 
Soyland. Entering this iter, which, like the Greetland 
road, is still for the most part in use, it reaches Baitings 
Gate, where Warburton, in his map of Roman Yorkshire, 
marks a camp. From this point, the road continues along 
the modern highway till it enters Black Castle Clough, 
where, ascending the Devil's Causeway, it crosses the heights 
of Blackstonedge ; and, entering the county of Lancaster, 
descends to Littleborough, where Roman remains have been 
found, and where Mr. Whitaker, of Manchester, fixes a 
station. I have spoken of the great military way from York 
to Manchester by Slack and Castleshaw, and its branch to 
Greetland and Littleborough, as, for the most part, at present 
existing. I have done so, for in addition to the weight of 
evidence before me I have not been able to bring myself to 
believe that those direct and durable iters, which were either 
laid down or improved by the greatest road-makers of 
antiquity, have been wholly abandoned ; more especially as 
the places to which they led have retained, for the most part, 
their populations to the present day. I have sought for proofs 
of the antiquity of the roads which lay nearest the straight 
lines, drawn on an accurate map, from station to station, 
and I have hitherto been successful in my search. There are 
roads through this parish which have claims to a remote 
antiquity. The names which still cling to them ; their 
ancient pavements, and the discovery along their course 
of earthworks, tumuli, and coins; as well as of other 
vestiges of the British and Roman eeras, attest their age. 
It is on such evidences as these that many ancient roads, 
which pass through our parish, are believed to be of 
Roman adoption or construction. It ought not, however, 
to be concealed that our venerable historian, "Watson, 
held a different opinion, and adopted a different course, 
with regard to the iter from York to Manchester by 
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