Monument record 31/1 - Welsh Road (Possibly Margary Route 166)

Possible course of a Roman road. Very doubtful

{1} Possible Romano-British road, the line of which was also used as a medieval drove road. The course of Welsh Road was diverted slightly for construction of the fishponds at Aston le Walls.

{4} Margery 166 is said to be part of a Roman road from Bletchley in Buckinghamshire to Wormleighton in Warwickshire. The southern part in Buckinghamshire has been tentatively identified, but its extension via Syresham, Helmdon, Sulgrave, Culworth, Aston Le Walls and Lower Boddington is very doubtful.

{6} A Roman road lay north-west to south-east alongside Welsh Road.

{?} Drove Road, called Welsh Road. Suggested as of Romano-British origin but unproven.

{7} Possible Romano-British road, the line of which was also used as a medieval drove road. The course of Welsh Road was diverted slightly for construction of the fishponds at Aston le Walls.

{8} Margary Route 166. Romano-British road from Wormleighton to Aston Le Walls, to Helmdon, to Biddlesden, to Bletchley. Enters the county at SP46155355, passing through Aston le Walls and Helmdon, and leaving the county at SP63204024.

{9} SP6260 6370 (Syresham). No direct evidence of the road was observed during fieldwalking but it may be significant that a linear earthwork follows approx the suggested alignment of the Roman axis (6059/0/3).

{1} Towcester lay close to two important droving routes, the Welsh Road and Banbury Way. The proximity of these roads doubtless stimulated interest in the trade in livestock and in hides.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.11 site 3 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<2> 1964, The Viatores: Roman Roads in The South East Midlands, p.309+314 (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN5299.

<3> 1964, Cake and Cockhorse, p.119 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN105871.

<4> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.179 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<5> Drovers' Routes From the Welsh Border, (checked) (Extract). SNN108992.

<6> Clements P., 2010, An Archaeological Watching Brief at Welsh Road, Chipping Warden, Northamptonshire 2010, p.1 (checked) (Report). SNN107217.

<7> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p. 11/site (Series). SNN77382.

<8> 1973, Margary 1973, p.182 (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN4901.

<9> AUDOUY M.; SHARMAN T., 1993, A43 Trunk Road Whitfield Turn to Brackley Hatch Dualling: Initial Archaeological Evaluation, p.5 (checked) (Report). SNN63073.

<10> Taylor J.; Foard G.; Laughton J.; Steadman S.; Ballinger J., 2002, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Towcester, 3.4 (checked) (Report). SNN103132.

Record last edited

Dec 5 2023 2:46PM