An East to West Trackway across Norfolk

Extract

A few years ago Mr. R. J. W. Purdy, of Foulsham, who is one of our most observant local antiquaries (and to whom is also due the investigation of the very interesting moated mound at Burgh-by-Aylsham), informed me that there was a road called by some a Roman road, and still traceable from East Gate corner at Cawston across the main Norwich and Holt road, about half-a-mile south of the tenth milestone from Norwich, which is about 440 yards from the Woodrow Inn, and then runs across the fields to a little south of the Botany Bay farmhouse, and at an angle across Marsham Heath and the Burnt Plantation practically to Allison Street, and so across the Cromer road through the grounds of the Old Rectory, now known as Marsham Hall. I must own to having been sceptical at first, but after several visits, and after the ground of the Burnt Plantation had been opened in several places, through the kindness of Mr. Wood, the owner, I can no longer doubt that a perfectly straight road or trackway could be traced for a trifle over a mile (shown by double lines on Fig. 19). It only consists of a slight layer of gravel and stones over the natural peaty soil, but it does exist and is very marked, and the portion of it over the field opposite Botany Bay, looking towards Booton, stood up till last year quite clearly from the soil of the field, and the colour of the corn, etc., grown over it was distinctly different from that of the main crop in the field. At sunset, too, one could see the little ridge quite clearly, though it is fast being ploughed away.