Garstang to Lancaster via Forton - distance 10 miles

LRO ref DDX 194/27

They left Garstang on the “peelin mosse” road past the back lane. Turning north at the junction of the road to Garstang Churchtown, the crossroads, at one mile, were reached. The left-hand branch led to Mr Laborn’s “naighby hal”[Nateby Hall]. The next junction left led to Mr Spencer’s “winmarley Hal” and to Gift Hall. The next to the right led to “fowler Hill so to ye Hollins”

Young Trees bounded the left side of the lane from here for 1.5 miles to Park Lane passing three access lanes to the “mosse” (would these be used for collecting peat). There were several houses in this area and the hamlet was, and still is, set around an open space.

Half a mile further along at the crossroads in an open unfenced area called Forton Green a degree of uncertainty arose. The right hand fork said “up into the other road”. The middle way said “to the other moor or green” whilst the third road led to “Crooka Bridg”[Crookhey] over “Cocker flu” by Thomas Gardner’s abode. A note on the map says “Que[ry] whether there be not a mile mistake between fortin green and Crooka bridg if 0 : 3 : 18 or 1 : 3 : 18”. The confusion seems to have come about because they approached this location when surveying Route No 18. Their notes say “to this place wee came from Lancaster “ and “ye 2 fencers of Highgate in Cockerham”

Because of this query they set the reading on the dimensurator to zero and carried on, starting by John Clark’s house in the direction of Ellel. After a mile the way on the right led to Forton Green. Shortly after that the road opened across Forton Moor common at the other side of which lived George Coadle. From this position they took a road directly to Ellel Grange which is now gone, also the cottage of Christopher Catton. It looks as if it was on the line of the present Lancaster to Preston canal.

Tho. Preston lived at Ellel Grange (could he be related to the Prestons of Holker Hall and of Preston Hall?). A tree lined lane half a mile long led to the “Preston Road by ye Salt Oak [inn]”. The stone Salt Oak sign exists built into a house at first floor level, close to the original site, now on A6. “Gowgat[Galgate] in Ellel” came next and the route followed the right hand bank of the Whitley Beck[River Condor} with houses and shrubs on both sides as far as “Ellel Chappell”. From there it went across open ground to “Baleridg”[Bailrigg] and from there on a tree-lined lane to what is now A6. On a track across the open ground to A6 before Bailrigg resided John Tomlinson and at the end Thomas Banford. On the road into Lancaster lived George Thuracre. The survey ceased at this point as it had already been done on Route No 4.