Only centuries of habitation and cultivation could have changed the
three feet of surface soil in Blackbanks from a stiff unworkable clay
to a black friable garden mould, and it is probable that the British
occupation had lasted for a very long period before the Romans took
possession. The settlement must have been a place of importance,
because it was approached from the north by a track, still existing
though practically disused, probably British, from a ford over the
Avon, near the present Fish and Anchor Inn. This track passes to the
west of South Littleton, on through the middle of the Blackminster
land, and immediately to the east of Blackbanks, joining what I
believe to be the Ryknield Street at the bridge over the stream on the
South Littleton road. Near the present Royal Oak Inn it formerly
crossed the present Evesham-Bretforton road, and became what is still
called Salter Street. It appears to have given access to two more
sites on which Roman coins and relics are found--Foxhill about 9-1/2
acres, and Blackground about 4 acres--and passing east of the present
Badsey church, proceeded through Wickhamford, and by a well-defined
track to Hinton-on-the-Green, and on to Tewkesbury and Gloucester.
The occurrence of the name Salter Street gives a clue to one of the
original uses of the road, at any rate in Roman times, for salt was an
absolute necessity in those days, as may be gathered from a passage in
_The Natural History of Selborne_, written in 1778:
"Three or four centuries ago, before there were any
enclosures, sown grasses, field turnips, or field carrots,
or hay, all the cattle which had grown fat in summer, and
were not killed for winter use, were turned out soon after
Michaelmas to shift as they could through the dead months;
so that no fresh meat could be had in winter or spring.
Pages:
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412