Help floods in after John's Roman fort plea

John, now 87, has spent decades trying to unravel the 2,000-year-old mystery of Rotherham’s Guilthwaite Common.

But since the Advertiser appealed for readers to come forward to solve the riddle he has had offers from archaeologists from Sheffield and Leeds universities, historians and local groups.

Offers have been received to carry out a geo-physical survey which may decide if John’s theory is correct.

“It’s been tremendous and I’m very grateful to the Advertiser,” said John, of Wickersley.

“Maybe this time we will solve the mystery.”

Mr Wild believes a work named “De Situ Britanniae” by a 14th century monk showing a Roman road from Castleford and Chesterfield with the fort in between holds the clue.

He suggests that with three Roman roads converging at Morthen and with evidence of crop marks in the field the fort was located there.

After years hunting Roman roads it was not until 1992 that Mr Wild obtained an aerial photograph of the Morthen area and discovered crop marking in the field, with the south-west corner of a Roman fortlet visible.

That was as far as he could go without help to conduct a full survey of the site.

All being well John and his helpers will start undertaking their task on September 28 with an initial survey of the field.