ROMAN ROADS PROJECT The main routes of the Roman road system through North Yorkshire are well known. They comprise the western route from York via Aldborough (Isurium Brigantum) and Catterick (Cataractonium) crossing the Tees at Piercebridge and thence proceeding via the Durham forts to the Tyne at Corbridge (Dere Street). The lesser eastern route is considered to emanate in the Stamford Bridge area to the east of York and proceeds through Thirsk to the Tees in the vicinity of Middleton St George and thence to the east of Durham via Chester le Street to the Tyne at Gateshead (known as Cades road after the Durham antiquarian). This project will look at the eastern road particularly in the area of Thornton le Street between Thirsk and Northallerton where the immediate route north over the flood plain of the Cod Beck is uncertain and where the antiquarians postulated a branch proceeding across country to join with the western route to the north of the Swale at what is now known as Catterick Bridge. The line of the main eastern route is clear on Ordnance Survey maps, but the link to the western route has never been identified. The project will attempt to determine the immediate routes north of Thornton le Street both of the known road and that suggested by the antiquarians. The current phase of the project was initiated by Brian Forbes of Thornton le Moor who has conducted extensive research on the subject. His initial interest was in determining a possible route in the vicinity of Thornton le Moor from Thornton le Street heading north in the direction of Northallerton and subsequently to Catterick Bridge, but this has led him to looking at the wider implications of the location of the road at Thornton le Street and the more well known route from there leading to the Tees at Middleton St George (known as Margary 80a). And indeed whether there was any topographical or territorial reason for the choice of Thornton le Street as an important junction in the Roman road system Brian has made wide use of the Heritage Environment Record held at County Hall, the aerial photographic archive held at the County Record Office (both in Northallerton), and the Morris archive held at the Yorkshire Archaeological Society premises in Leeds. This research will be developed further, but the next phase of the project is to carry out investigative work on the ground, ideally using in the first instance non-invasive techniques. Various professional bodies have been approached for advice on this work and an application for Heritage Lottery funding is being considered. The local community will be encouraged to participate in the project. JGS/29 12 12 .