RIVER DANE, WINTER 1974

Here's a a wintry scene from December 1974 taken from the footpath which runs along the River Dane from King Street down to the River's junction with the Croco and then along the western edge of Harbutt's Field to emerge near to the Big Lock.
The viaduct which takes the Sandbach-Northwich railway line across the river can just be seen centre left, and beyond that is Ravenscroft Bridge on King Street.
Harbutt's Field is just out of shot to the right. Although extensive archaeological investigations had been done in the area, the field had not yet been identified as the site of a roman fort, although many people, including my Dad, Arthur, had already become convinced that there was something more than just the remains of salt workings and iron works hidden under what looks like an ordinary field. Some years later, the celebrated 'GeoFizz', beloved of Tony Robinson and his Time Team, revealed the distinctive round-cornered 'playing card' outline of the fort and Middlewich was, at last, recognised as a major Roman site.