Lecture – Lancashire’s Roman Roads: LIDAR Discoveries

Lancashire’s Roman Roads:  LIDAR Discoveries

Speaker:

David Ratledge

Date:

21st January 2025

As a result of Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging in archaeology) data becoming freely available,  the last ten years has seen a transformation in our understanding of Lancashire’s Roman road network.

The use of Lidar data (providing high precision topographical information) to reveal the course of Roman roads has been a great success throughout the country. Imagery derived from this data is often able to show clearly the surviving remains of the road agger, terraces, side ditches and cuttings, often where they cannot be identified on the ground through traditional fieldwork.

As a result we now have a comprehensive understanding of Lancashire’s earliest highway network.  This includes exciting discoveries on the Manchester to Ribchester Roman road (Margary number 7b) such as the possible site of a Roman fort near Wayoh Bridge in Edgworth.

About the speaker

David is a former Civil Engineer working predominantly in the design and construction of Roads and Bridges for over 40 years. At Lancashire County Council he also headed up the county’s GIS unit developing the award winning online GIS, MARIO. Since his retirement he has been able to devote his time to tracking down lost Roman roads from Hadrian’s Wall to Devon.

Interested in coming along to a lecture?

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