I decided I’d tackle the problem with a twin track approach; first, a history approach within the narrow definition of ‘history’ – a review of written texts, tracking back through references and sources, including old maps, working from what we know today.  Second, a landscape approach (‘history’ in a broader sense, treating the landscape itself as a text) – initially desk-based then physically walking the landscape to look for clues and ideas.

The problem started to resolve itself, too, and the clues I’d be looking for.  The Ordnance Survey were sufficiently confident to mark ‘Roman Road – course of’ on their maps, and the HFWG went to look, but couldn’t find it.  They weren’t alone; other archaeologists had physically dug the route and couldn’t find anything in the Glooston – Medbourne gap.  Were there any clues that the road might be somewhere else?

I made a start with working back through OS mapping, and looking at the key texts for Leicestershire; the Victoria County History, Nichols, and Throsby.