Weaver Street and the road into Verdin Park have streams culverted under them, whose valleys added to the defences of the site. The stream under Verdin Park was Lamprey Brook, mentioned in old records as the boundary between Northwich and Castle.

The road from Chester to York crossed the Weaver where it was joined by the Dane, and sand banks built up as the water slowed - today a dredger is needed to keep the channel clear.

The 1721 Weaver Navigation Act stated the water was only 3ft deep at Northwich Bridge, which meant that a ford would be passable in summer, but a timber bridge was probably needed as the river was liable to flood.

The name condate (confluence), now identified with Northwich, might indicate worship of the Celtic god Condatis; guardian of waters-meeting.

It was customary to pray to the water spirits before crossing.

King Street, from Middlewich to Broken Cross (the modern road above the Roman), appears to have been built around 90 AD.

It was a military supply route to the north.

The date evidence comes from bright red, factory-made pottery called Samian ware. It was found on Castle, giving evidence of the date but not at Wilderspool and Middlewich on King Street. The fact that this main arterial road by-passed Northwich suggests that the fort was obsolete when it was built.

Excavations on Castle before rebuilding revealed traces of timber barrack buildings and the surrounding defensive ditch with a turf rampart faced with timber. In the period between the military occupations, around 100 AD, native civilians occupied the military site, undertaking a variety of industrial processes.

A kiln was operated by a potter who stamped his name Maco on his wares. Several furnaces and smithing hearths were found which were used for shaping iron, and a damaged iron auxiliary helmet was buried with cheek pieces from two other helmets, suggesting it awaited repair - this is similar to an armourer's chest, buried at Chester.

Northwich Middlewich and Wilderspool served as supply bases for the military to the north - Cheshire has been termed the Roman Black Country.