https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-48594251
quite a lot of finds by the looks of things
fascinating!
That is the trouble with having a rich and layered cultural history: if you want to build a new road, you cannot go five miles without unearthing prehistoric Bronze Age burial mounds and cremations, a prehistoric Iron Age settlement enclosure with roundhouses and field system, a Roman metal-working site and a Roman villa previously excavated in the 1960s and 1970s.
Not to mention what you find when you start digging for a car park. ;)
Quote from: Patrick Waterson on June 23, 2019, 08:20:20 AM
That is the trouble with having a rich and layered cultural history: if you want to build a new road, you cannot go five miles without unearthing prehistoric Bronze Age burial mounds and cremations, a prehistoric Iron Age settlement enclosure with roundhouses and field system, a Roman metal-working site and a Roman villa previously excavated in the 1960s and 1970s.
Not to mention what you find when you start digging for a car park. ;)
seriously this does present problems for historians as well as planners.
So historians of Roman Britain had painted a convincing picture of the north being an undeveloped military zone whilst the south was civil and developed.
Then they did all the work on the A1 and A1(M) and ending up discovering so much stuff they had to rewrite the history
Now the North West (and by that they largely mean Cumbria) is the undeveloped military zone, mainly because there's a damned big national park that ensures very limited development so no access to rescue archaeologists :-[
Do you think they could complete a 3-lane motorway across the southern Lake District off the M6 in time for my holiday later this year, and in the process help our understanding of Cumbrian history...?
Quote from: Tim on June 23, 2019, 11:09:26 AM
Do you think they could complete a 3-lane motorway across the southern Lake District off the M6 in time for my holiday later this year, and in the process help our understanding of Cumbrian history...?
The cynic might comment that had it been within a hundred miles of london and suffered half the amount of traffic, it alread would be ;)
Where abouts are you going?
Waberthwaite.
Quote from: Tim on June 23, 2019, 09:00:46 PM
Waberthwaite.
The home of the Traditional Cumberland Sausage! 8)
To be fair, the A590 is pretty good until you leave it at Greenodd, but from then the road gets distinctly interesting at times. Even more interesting is that google maps is currently sending people over Corney Fell, which is doesn't normally do.
Have you been before or is this some rash romantic adventure?
(Actually it's a nice area, largely unspoiled and I've been through it innumerable times :) )
First time. Only area of England I don't really know.
Quote from: Tim on June 23, 2019, 10:01:43 PM
First time. Only area of England I don't really know.
It's a bit cut off and isolated. There are things that you ought to do, the railway from Ravenglas up to Eskdale is worth it. There is a Roman fort on Hardknott pass which is also quite spectacular, if only for the views. The trip over Hardknott and Wrynose passes to Ambleside ought to be done at least once
Then there's Muncaster Castle which is well worth a look and it has impressive gardens well worth a walk in. Plus owls etc and a fair bit for children as well. The beaches at places like Silecroft are unspoiled and there's a lot of good walking.
Fascinating what you can find in the vicinity of ancient roads......
(https://s3.amazonaws.com/lowres.cartoonstock.com/medical-roman-ancient_roman-service_station-legionnaire-roman_legion-rmgn305_low.jpg)
Jim
Thanks. Really appreciate the local knowledge. Hardknott seems likely to be my in-period target.
Regards
Tim
Quote from: Tim on June 24, 2019, 07:34:37 PM
Jim
Thanks. Really appreciate the local knowledge. Hardknott seems likely to be my in-period target.
Regards
Tim
Hope you enjoy your time across in the uttermost west 8)
Hardknott well worth a visit...although last time I was up there I was on my bike.......ouch
Quote from: Holly on June 24, 2019, 09:51:03 PM
Hardknott well worth a visit...although last time I was up there I was on my bike.......ouch
I came down Hardknott pass on a bike, one lad with us had steel rims on his wheels and they got that hot because of the brakes that his innertube melted and he got a puncture!
Quote from: Jim Webster on June 24, 2019, 10:06:58 PM
Quote from: Holly on June 24, 2019, 09:51:03 PM
Hardknott well worth a visit...although last time I was up there I was on my bike.......ouch
I came down Hardknott pass on a bike, one lad with us had steel rims on his wheels and they got that hot because of the brakes that his innertube melted and he got a puncture!
I was going the other way so the only thing that melted was my thigh muscles!
Quote from: Holly on June 24, 2019, 10:07:43 PM
Quote from: Jim Webster on June 24, 2019, 10:06:58 PM
Quote from: Holly on June 24, 2019, 09:51:03 PM
Hardknott well worth a visit...although last time I was up there I was on my bike.......ouch
I came down Hardknott pass on a bike, one lad with us had steel rims on his wheels and they got that hot because of the brakes that his innertube melted and he got a puncture!
I was going the other way so the only thing that melted was my thigh muscles!
That I can believe!
Hardknott is great - got to walk to it of course! Ravenglass has a smattering of Roman stuff too. A bit further up the coast Maryport is well worth a visit for the Senhouse Roman Museum (http://www.senhousemuseum.co.uk)
The Harbour at Whitehaven is quite nice. Indeed the town has been tidied up a bit since John Paul Jones tried to burn it down but discovered that he'd not got any matches and tried to borrow them from locals
Quote from: Jim Webster on June 25, 2019, 09:36:38 AM
The Harbour at Whitehaven is quite nice. Indeed the town has been tidied up a bit since John Paul Jones tried to burn it down but discovered that he'd not got any matches and tried to borrow them from locals
Apparently Jones' raiding party also stopped for a drink or three at the nearest pub while on their hunt for matches. Eventually finding some, they set fire to a coal ship, hoping it would create a harbour-wide blaze - but as soon as they left for their own ship the townsfolk brought up two fire engines (such as they were back then) and extinguished the fire.
Mr T, thanks for that - Senhouse looks a definite...