Monument record 6915/1 - Possible Roman road

Margary route 56a King's Sutton to Evenley. A section of road was said to have been exposed in Astrop Park, although much of the route is dubious

{1} Roman road said to have crossed into the county over the River Cherwell near Twyford into King's Sutton parish and thence run eatwards via Astrop, Charlton and Evenley, crossing back into Oxfordshire at Finmere. Though a section through a Roman road is said to have been exposed in Astrop Park, the straight roads that follow much of the alleged route are enclosure tracks and show no visible signs of antiquity.

{2} The road continues to Bodicote and Twyford Mill, on through Astrop Park and up the hill to Newbottle Spinney and along the southern boundary of Hinton-in-the-Hedges. The country beyond has been heavily ploughed, but it probably kept to the high ground to Finmere. The easy gradients are well-engineered and a section in Astrop Park show a magnificent cambered structure 18 feet across. Twyford is therefore proved to be a Roman crossing.

{3} Roman Road: Ettington to Finmere. For full details see Linear archive.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p. 179/56a King's Sutton to Evenley (Series). SNN77382.

<2> 1964, Cake and Cockhorse, p. 117 (Journal). SNN105871.

<3> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Linear Archive, Ordnance Survey Linear Archive (File RR56a) held in English Heritage Archives, Swindon. (Archive). SNN113264.

Record last edited

Feb 5 2025 7:35PM