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Roads
and Tracks of Ayrshire
Postscript
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For
those readers interested in studying Ayrshire roads
further, it will seen from this study how many unresolved
problems there are. Some relating to the prehistoric
period and the Dark Ages will probably have to wait
for detailed archaeological and historical research
before they can be resolved. Others like the post-mediaeval
period may not be resolvable although one suspects careful
analysis of existing information could yield good results.
Other problems, touched on in the introduction, although
difficult are interesting in their own right and likely
to repay close study.
In
more recent times, the problems are caused not by there
being too little information but by there being too
much. Thomson's map of 1828 for example shows thousands
of miles of roads and tracks and the official records,
especially if you include those held by the local authorities,
are extremely detailed. One way round this is to be
selective as has been done here; another is to deal
with a manageable amount of information by dealing with,
say, the roads of a parish.
Whatever
the case, studying roads can be recommended as an enjoyable
pursuit whether it's tramping through the hills or sitting
in a library on a rainy day. One might not discover
a Roman road but there is always the chance….
Next
(Annexe)
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