Bilsborrow - John Cross School
This site was drawn to our attention by David Ratcliff (http://www.romanroads.org/gazetteer/roman1.htm) who had been using LIDAR images to trace possible Roman roads in Lancashire. A possible housing development had been mooted on Bilsborrow Lane, Bilsborrow and in the documentation there appeared a proviso regarding a possible Roman road which might go across the site. Although we didn't have access to that site a continuation of the LIDAR appeared to trace a path over the corner of a playing field belonging to Bilsborrow, John Cross Primary School. Permission was enthusiastically granted and a survey (performed by Wigan Archaeology Group) of the field was taken. Although the resistivity plots were inconclusive it was decided that a dig was the only way to prove the existence of the road - one way or another.
The above image shows the projected line of the Roman Road (in red) together with the resistivity survey.
On Sunday, 23rd September, 2018 a 10m x 2m trench was opened. At the same time the field was swept by metal detector.
Over the next two days the trenches were taken down to natural - unfortunately with no sign of the Roman Road.
On a more positive note, the pupils visited the site and were encouraged to get involved. By doing this we might have discovered future archaeologists.
Many thanks to the staff and pupils of the school, in particular Liam Reynolds, the headteacher.