Stockton Heath & surroundings

The origins of Stockton Heath lie in the industrial settlement established in Roman times at Wilderspool, which lies just north of the Stockton Heath Primary School.  Even today “Roman Road” is kept alive directly off Ellesmere Road, Stockton Heath.  The line of this road runs straight through the centre of the school play ground and building and can be seen as a fine dotted line on early Ordinance Surveys Maps.

A statue of Minerva was discovered close by in Roman Road.  

For much of its existence the “Heath” was just that; a large sweep of open land divided by two roads with the prominent peaks of Hill Cliffe in the distance.

The Land as it was

• In Roman times the area of Stockton Heath was of high importance and the area with industry and a quay side for river and sea access.
• There are many signs that the Romans were settled for a long period of time and many signs still exist in the area.
• The below map kindly produced from Mark Olly's book "Celtic Warrington" and shows both Roman and Modern landmarks.

Stockton Heath Area - Roman Quayside with modern landmarks

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• The below 2nd map shows all the possible buildings that were in the area and dock area.

Stockton Heath Area - Circ 150 AD Roman Quayside

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The School Site and Roman Road

• The School site and Roman Road has long been recognised as a significant site with the road from the Roman settlement around Wilderspool passing through a central point of the school building and playground.  This roman road travels south towards Hill Cliffe high point then turns east to follow the route followed by the A49 south.

• Mark Olly, archaeologist, who recently had “Lost Treasures” featured on Granada TV has done previous digs on a property lying immediately east of the school and suggests that an earlier route of the Mersey flowed through the school grounds and could well have been the site of a Roman bridge. (picture below)
• the following is from Mark Olly’s book

  “It is yet another of Warrington’s spiritual mystifications that a Cheshire County Council School (Stockton Heath Junior School), opened on the 2nd May 1910, should now sit at the very precincts of the Roman Temple of Minerva. It was under Minerva’s special care that schools were placed two thousand years ago, with Roman school children having their holidays during her festivals!

  The Roman road vanishes under the foundations of the school, which Mark Olly believes also sits over the ancient course of the River Mersey, so far identified, and, therefore, indicates the location of the Roman Bridge, which brought the original A49 road to the port complex

• This would be an amazing find if it could be located.

Stockton Heath Area - Roman Bridge 280AD

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• The statue of the Roman God Minerva was discovered almost on the boundary of the school in line with this early approach to the site where the school lines now.  (See “Celtic Warrington” by Mark Olly).

• Recently the Romans returned to Stockton Heath and paraded around the School and Village

See Their Website www.romantoursuk.com