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CHAPTER VIII.
FLEETWOOD-ON-WYRE.
The site of the present town of Fleetwood was at no
very distant period, less than half a century ago, a
wild and desolate warren, forming part of the Rossall
estate, and belonging to the late Sir Peter Hesketh
Fleetwood, bart. At that date the northern side showed unmistakable
evidences of having at an earlier epoch been bounded by
a broad wall or rampart of star-hills, continuous with the range
until recent years visible near Rossall Point, or North Cape, as
that portion of the district was locally called, but which has now
been destroyed and levelled by the sea. Beyond the warrener's
cottage and a small farm-house on the Poulton road, no habitations
existed anywhere in the vicinity; the whole tract of
sandhills and sward had been usurped by myriads of rabbits,
which were some little time, even after the erection of dwellings,
before they entirely deserted the spot where for centuries they
had found a home. During the stormy months of winter, and
in the breeding season, immense flocks of sea-fowl made their
way to these shores, and like the rabbits, were allowed to remain
in undisputed and undisturbed possession of the domain they had
appropriated.
Whether this district or locality was populated in the earlier eras of history by any of the aboriginal Britons, invading Romans, or piratical Danes, is a question difficult to solve, but the existence of a paved Roman road, discovered some depth beneath the sand when the trench for the sea-wall was being excavated opposite the Mount Terrace, and traced across the warren in the direction of Poulton, proves beyond a doubt that there was traffic of some
