Roman and prehistoric remains uncovered by new road construction

[Imperial Dave]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-48594251

quite a lot of finds by the looks of things

[Jim Webster]

fascinating!

[Patrick Waterson]

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.

[Jim Webster]

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 

[Tim]

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...?

[Jim Webster]

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?

[Tim]

Waberthwaite.

[Jim Webster]

Waberthwaite.

The home of the Traditional Cumberland Sausage! 
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    )

[Tim]

First time. Only area of England I don't really know.

[Jim Webster]

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.

[Nick Harbud]

Fascinating what you can find in the vicinity of ancient roads......

[Tim]

Jim

Thanks. Really appreciate the local knowledge. Hardknott seems likely to be my in-period target.
Regards
Tim

[Jim Webster]

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 

[Imperial Dave]

Hardknott well worth a visit...although last time I was up there I was on my bike.......ouch

[Jim Webster]

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!