The Roman Army in ChristletoMany of you will know that I’ve spent several years tracing the exploits of the XXVV Legion who were based at Deva, (Chester) for over 300years. I’ve also supported the activities of the Park in the Past Team, who have created a wooden fortress and many replica buildings at their impressive site in Fagl Lane in Hope. The Park in the Past Project has really taken off and has staged two major events this spring. I attended and filmed at the second one, an event called Aurilia, the highlight of which was a display by the Northern Horse, a team who display the activities of a Roman Cavalry troop. A large crowd was present for the event on a glorious spring day and thoroughly enjoyed the sight of these men and their horses in action.

When I see events such as these created in such detail, I always think about the Romans visiting our parish, and in fact building their practice forts here. Recent evidence seems to suggest that one of them, near the old Roman Road at Stamford Bridge, was occupied as an outer guard post on the road into the main fortress at Deva. This is quite feasible I guess, as they would have always been on the look out for any tribes or enemy who might attack them. Lots of artefacts have turned up in and around the Parish, which indicates that there must have been quite a lot of movement here. I will detail them next month, but I hope that these images give you an impression of how the Roman Army might have looked here in the Parish, almost 2000 years ago.

I’ve mentioned previously, the fact that the Roman army was building practice or marching forts, to keep the legionaries and auxiliaries occupied, and learning useful skills, all around the fortress. This does allow us now to confirm that there were almost certainly bridges at Hockenhull at this time. The current sandstone bridges date from the 1400’s, but the fact that two routes, Roman highways from Manchester (A56) and Nantwich(A51) often called Watling Street, came together along the track east of the bridges, suggests that there were substantial structures there at the time of the occupation of Deva. There were also several practice forts near Duddon, parallel to the A51 Watling street, which adds to the evidence.

A number of red sandstone roadblocks of Roman type, were visible at Hockenhull, 50years ago, with a similar style of red sandstone blocks in the roadway along Quarry Lane, leading towards the old Quarry. We know that the Roman army obtained stone from the quarry in Christleton, and also from the Waverton Quarry further along the A41. Examples of the colour and sort of red sandstone obtained from the Christleton Quarry, can be best seen in the old bus terminus to the west of the old Trooper, now Costa Coffee.

Reference:
Christleton 2000years of History
Park in the Past Project. Fagl Lane, Hope near Wrexham