The (Probable) Roman Road from Caistor to Billingford
Margary Number: 339x (Provisional)
Distance: 18 miles
Is there enough evidence to prove a through route? I believe perhaps there is - well just about. The section in Hockering Wood was independently spotted by David Staveley, Geoff Lunn and myself. But was it part of a completed road? I am ashamed to say I gave up trying to extend it and it was a David Staveley's video that suggested a fresh look was needed.
The Hockering Wood agger is spectacular in Lidar imagery leaving no doubt it is a Roman road but on the ground it is a different story. It is very difficult to pick out from all the other disturbances in Hockering Wood. It was a WW2 ammunition base with concrete roads all over the place.
These are the 2 definite sections, at Keswick and Hovering Wood, depicted in this view from over the Roman city/town at Caistor St Edmund. It was the lack of convincing evidence connecting it all up that caused me to put this one on the back burner. WIth a fresh look there is some more evidence - see below - but it is very intermittent and faint which is why I initially believed it was a road probably never completed.
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VIDEO Flyover
Very much a working video in an attempt to tease out any faint clues.
Full Route Map
Those intermittent possible traces plus 2 options of the northern section have been added. Not a huge amount of evidence but perhaps just enough to confirm a full route.
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Low Road, Keswick
With the old road through Keswick aligning with Caistor St Edmund this length was always suggested it must be Roman. But was it just a local road or did it continue to Billingford?
Images: Google
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Lidar Image - Possible clues South-East from Hockering Wood
There is evidence continuing the alignment back towards Keswick but the features are intermittent and not totally convincing. On the balance of probabilities though they could indicate the Roman line.
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Lidar Image - Hockering Wood to Park Farm
Classic Roman agger in Hockering Woods. This is one of only three such ancient woodlands in Norfolk. As such it has probably never been ploughed so looks pristine. On the ground it is a lot more subtle though and it is difficult to make out in all the trees and undergrowth.
The extension of the evidence south-east of the wood to Park Farm is further confirmation of its Roman pedigree. Out of the wood it has the classic width of a ploughed Roman road - they get lower and wider.It is not just a feature in the woods.
It has now been added to Norfolk HER as NHER 69312.
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Track to Park Farm - Roman Line
This is the track down to Park Farm. This section, now very much a hollow-way, overlies the Roman line.
Image: DR
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Hockering Wood - By the Moat looking SE
In the woods now adjacent to the (medieval) moat. As usual an image doesn't really pick out the road so I have added approximate road edge lines.
Image: DR
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Hockering Wood - By the Moat looking NW
Same spot looking the other way. I attempted to follow the agger but it proved impossible.
Image: DR
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Hockering Wood - By the Main Drive looking NW
This is where the road has crossed the main drive (one of those concrete roads) heading to the wood's north-west corner.
Image: DR
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Lidar Image - Possible clues North-West from Hockering Wood
There are two options North-West of Hockering Wood, one crossing the River Wensum near Bylaugh, the other keeping south of the river and heading for Swanton Morley. The first would require a bridge, the second could use a bridge in the Billingford-Swanton Morley settlement. The alignment projected from Hockering Wood would tend to suggest the first option.
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Elsing Road
Is Elsing Road the continuation beyond Hockering Road? It is straight but looks too narrow so not convincing. The Bylaugh route looks the more likely.
