Lurg Moor - Largs

NS27SE 47 253 714 to 257 722. RX 7

The course of this road, from NS 2958 7340 to NS 2500 7352, as shown on Record Sheet, is taken from a map (1:25,000 scale) shown to Ordnance Survey by Mr Newall. It is cambered, 15 to 15 1/2 ft wide, accompanied over rocky ground by quarry pits, and deviates from its general westward course at several points where it crosses the watersheds between hill ridges.

F Newall 1963.

No evidence of Roman construction seen.

Visited by OS (WDJ), November 1964.

Further investigation has shown that the road described above was a patrol track to provide signalling facilities to cover movement along the main road to Largs, which leaves the track S of Whitelees Hill, at NS 273 733, and proceeds direct towards the NE corner of Loch Thom, which it enters at NS 264 726. From the Loch the road emerges at NS 256 719, crosses two spits of land at the SW corner of the Loch then climbs towards the shoulder of Berry Hill, passing into Ayrshire at NS 248 701. Loch sections, and twelve to thirteen sections by sheep drains show the road mound to be 22 to 25 ft wide, and of hard driven metal in packed clay, overlying a heavier clay stratum with large stones. In two sections a 6 to 8 ft wide metalled track ran alongside the main causeway. Over peat mosses the road is laid on a brushwood corduroy over an upcast peat agger.

F Newall 1970.

NS 2957 7340 to NS 2500 7353 This alleged Roman road (formerly RR 780) may have been a patrol track rather than a road providing signaling facilities to cover movement along the main Roman road (RX 7) which lay further inland. The main Roman road meanders through Maukinhill Moor and along Crawberry Hill (NS 2835 7315). At Darndaff Moor (NS 2726 7329) this alleged main road and the patrol road split. The main road heads SW while the patrol road heads W, running along Round Hill (NS 2606 7349) and Jock's Hill (NS 2576 7359). The patrol road bends sharply to the SW near White Hill (NS 2542 7401) and runs along Scoggy Bank at NS 2509 7365.

F Newall 1963; F Newall and W Lonie 1964; F Newall 1970.

NS 2726 7329 to NS 2500 7071 At Darndaff Moor the alleged Roman main road and the patrol road split. The main road's course, leading to the SW, is partially covered by Loch Thom, which may have considerably smaller in ancient times. This road possibly became the main road from Lurg Moor to Largs at a later date.

F Newall 1971.

NS 253 714 to NS 257 722. Due to drought the water of Loch Thom reached the lowest recorded level. The course of the Roman road was traced across the loch bed as a cambered mound of small metal on clay, overlying peat. Substantial stretches of the compacted small metal in clay, sandwiched centrally in peat are now exposed along the SW side of the loch.

F Newall and T Russell 1984.