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Several sources refer to a trackway, possibly originating in pre-Roman times, which ran approximately north-south through Leicestershire (Nichols, 1795; Hoskins, 1950; Wood, 2010; EPNS), and in some sources it is referred to as ‘le Ferdgate’ an ‘army road’ (Old English ‘fyrd’ = army; Scandinavian ‘garta’ = road (Wood, 2010). See Baker and Brookes (2016) for significance of 'fyrd' ). Piecing the different references together, the route is first identified near Harby, in the Vale of Bevoir, climbs the escarpment at Brock Hill, crosses the Roman road (Salt Way) on top of the escarpment, passes the moot site of the Framland Hundred, crosses the River Wreake at Melton Mowbray, continues via the hillfort at Burrough Hill to Tilton on the Hill, crosses the Roman road (Via Devana) by the moot site of the Gartree Hundred, and continues into the Welland valley.

Baker, J. and Brookes, S. 2016. Explaining Anglo-Saxon military efficiency: the landscape of mobilization. In: Anglo-Saxon England
Vol. 44, pp. 221-258.
EPNS English Place Name Society. Link , entry for Framland Hundred.
Cox, B., 1971. Leicestershire moot-sites : the place-name evidence. Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society , vol. 47 (1971–72).
Hoskins, W.G., 1950. Croft Hill. Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological Society, 26, 83-92.
Nichols, J. 1795. Mr Lehman on the Roman Roads and Stations in Leicestersbhire: of Via Devana. In: The History and Antiquities of the County of Leicester : vol. 1, part 1, p. cxlvii.
Wood, M. (2010). The Story of England, Viking, 464 pp.

Created: Tue, 26 Sep 2023, Updated: Wed, 12 Jun 2024