Maiden Way, however, crosses the Kershope a few miles farther to the east. The branch road from the Crew was formerly called "the Wheel-Causeway," and hence, probably, arose Mr. Hutchinson's error.
There is a part of an old road on the Side Fell, about two miles south of Bewcastle, to which tradition has always assigned the name of the Maiden Way, and this remnant of the road is graced with a remarkable specimen of the ruins of a Roman watch-tower. In the spring of 1852 the Rev. J. Collingwood Bruce, the author of "The Roman Wall," accompanied by a friend, was on a visit of inspection of the remains of the Roman Station at Bewcastle, and I conducted them to this relic on the Side Fell. While seated on the greensward which now covers the Roman fortlet, a question arose whether the road proceeded northwards from Carvorran, according to the generally received opinion as to its route, or whether it did not proceed from Birdoswald, as the road on the Side Fell seemed to be aiming direct to the latter station. Having heard the same question discussed but not decided on former occasions, my curiosity was excited, and I was induced to pursue the track of this road, and thus in some measure to test the accuracy of Mr. Hutchinson's statement. I experienced very little difficulty in tracing it to Birdoswald, but could not discover any point where it showed the least tendency to diverge towards Carvorran. I experienced considerable difficulty, however, in tracing it northwards from Bewcastle. The trace was not so distinct and well defined, and I had consequently to examine in several places a large tract of land on each side of it, before I could feel satisfied that I was not off the line. This caused a vast amount of labour, and often required the greatest perseverance, but I have no doubt that my efforts have been successful in recovering a road which was all but lost.
Gibbon, speaking of the union and internal prosperity of the Roman Empire in the age of the Antonines, says, "All these cities were connected with each other, and with the capital, by the public highways, which, issuing from the Forum of Rome, traversed Italy, pervaded the provinces, and were terminated only by the frontiers of the Empire. If we carefully trace the distance from the Wall of Antoninus to Rome, and thence to Jerusalem, it will be found that the great chain of communication from the north-west to the
