Ryknild Street Yorkshire.

In 1720 John Warburton produced the first map of Yorkshire to show roads in detail. He also included the probable lines of Roman roads in the area. One such road was the extension north of Ryknild Street (Ricknield) from Templeborough near Rotherham to Alborough near Bourghbridge.

This is a summery of probable Roman sites on the line of the road as recorded by John Warburton in 1720, between Templeborough 410915 on the river Don to Pendas Fields 380351 near Leeds. Ordnance Survey Grid References

From the area of Templeborough there are a quite a few sites called Roman Ridge that form two general lines in the direction of Golden Smithies near Wath upon Dearne they are;

Western line intermittent earthworks to Golden Smithies

ridge & dyke Near Winkobank Iron age hill fort.

ridge & dyke Templeborough north 1.

ridge & dyke Templeborough north 2.

ridge & dyke Field boundary's in Wentworth park.

ridge & dyke Hoober.

ridge & dyke Abdy 1.

ridge & dyke Abdy 2.

Eastern line

ridge & dyke Footpath to Upper Haugh.

ridge & dyke Warren Vale.

ridge & dyke Swinton Common.

From Golden Smithies the intended line is more clear it follows a ridge & dyke on a footpath and parish boundary to Golden Smithies. Then a parish boundary going north to west of Golden Smithies lane towards Bolton upon Dearne, Dearne Road Bridge (ford?) over the river Dearne,

North from there it picks up Clayton & Spry lanes on a parish boundary to Howell Lane, and a footpath by Howell Wood to Brierley Gap.

Just to the west of this line there are ancient ridges that form the boundary between West Haigh Wood and Houghton Common, and on the north eastern boundary of Brierley Manor Park.

From Brierley Warburton's line is followed by the B6273 to Nostell, then the A628 to West Lane Sharlston. From Nostell a series of lanes lead north allong a Wapentake
boundary the ford over the river Aire at Castlford.

Warburton's line then follows a parish boundary on West Lane Sharlston. To Goose Hill and Newlands estate boundary towards

Bottom Boat Ferry (ford?) over the river Calder. North of here it follows a footpath on Leeds County Way & Eshald Lane to Woodlesford. These paths follow parish boundary's, and in places a well defined ridge and dyke. At Woodlesford. There is a bridge (ford?) on the river Aire. The way north is then by lane & parish boundary called Bullerthorpe Lane it was formerly Street Lane, leading to PendasFields on the edge of Whinmoor. The line of Warburton's Ryknild Street here is called Grimes Dyke and is very similar to the Roman Ridge sites in the Templeborough area.

Conclusion.

The Roman Ridge's from near Templeborough to Golden Smithies, Grimes Dyke from Woodlesford to Penda's Fields, and possibly the paths from Bottom Boat to Woodlesford could by the lines of Celtic defensive earthworks. The line from Golden Smithies to Bottom Boat is easy to trace but has no remaining earthworks. The whole line could mark an unfinished Roman Road that was abandoned in favour of the later Doncaster Castleford Roman Road.

The B6089 north from Rotherham (Packman Lane) and the B6273 north from Brampton (formerly Street Lane) to Brierley have evolved from this Roman Road from Templeborough. See also British Way.

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