We are fortunate to have so much of the Roman road network left in Britain. Of the roads that we know of (there are about 80%¹ that can be traced) the original main routes through, can be traced with some certainty by their alignment.

Large parts of the less well known roads have been lost due to ploughing out, or development. Some roads near rivers or in areas with soft ground may have simply been absorbed by the landscape. So the course of some roads have had to be reconstructed form the route of ancient lanes and rights of way. Also paths through old woodlands (bridle paths often called rides in old documents) and sections such as Watling Street the A 5 used as major roads today have been used to reconstruct the route.


Place names can often provide a clue as well as the archaeological records of the area, this often enables us to piece together the route.

There is no doubt that there was a network of smaller roads, tracks and service ways that have been lost without hope of recovery. The evidence that we do have is also locked in the landscape, this can be revealed by the study of field boundaries, ancient hedge rows, monuments and the position of isolated settlements.

The best way to trace the route of the road over today's landscape is with a map as you read the entry.

Watling Street

Watling Street: from Dover or Richborough to Leintwardine. And Stone Street to Caerleon on Usk

From Richborough to Canterbury the modern A 257 is the closest route to Watling Street. Dover to Canterbury follows the A 2 and then the A 2050, but both roads are far from direct and loop widely to either side of the original route. From Canterbury the unclassified road Church Hill and Faulkners Lane follow closest to the Roman route. Cross the A 2050 east of Upper Harbeldown and join the road named Roman Road. This passes through Upper Harbeldown and joins the A 2 which continues to
Ospringe and Faversham. From the junction A 2 and A 299 Watling Street is known as the A 2 Canterbury Road and leaves Faversham as the London Road. It passes through Sittingbourne as the A 2, the road skirts town the line of the road preserved in High Street and East Street. Watling Street continues as the A 2, passing out of the town through Keycol Village. The road continues as the A 2 until the A 278 junction near Chatham is known for a brief stretch as Watling Street as it passes through Rochester The A 5 has various names but crosses the Medway River as High Street.

The A 2 leaves Rochester as Watling Street, but when it reaches the junction of Southfleet Road it passes south of the site of Roman Springhead which is near modern Swanscombe.

When the A 2 passes north of the village of Bean it branches north as the A 296 Roman Road. At the Princes road junction it branches north again as Watling Street, and as the A 226 passes through Crayford. Watling Street continues on to London along the route of the A 207 south of the river Thames.

From London the A 5 Edgeware Road² and passes through Brockley Hill and changes to the A 5183 as it crosses the A 41. Just north of Elstree the A 5183 changes name to Watling Street and turns north west on the way to St Albans. As Watling Street approaches St Albans is stops suddenly at its junction with Watford Road and St Stephens Hill. The A 5183 turns north west of Watling Street up St Stephens Hill and turning north east on Verulam Road, continuing into Redbourn Road and re joining the original course of Watling Street 400 meters south of Hogg End Lane.

Watling Street continues as the A 5183 Redbourn Road and St Albans Road. When the road reaches the outskirts of the town of Redbourne it continues as Redbourne High Street and Dunstable Road, the A 518 takes a large curving detour to the eastern side of Watling Street, and rejoins the road 60 meters west of Luton Lane. Watling Street changes identity from the A 5185 to the A 5 as it crosses the M1. At the Chequers Hill junction the A 5 runs south of Watling Street for 1.2 miles. The A 5 then crosses north of Watling Street at Green Lane and runs to the north of the original route for 1 mile. The original road passes through the town of Markyate, in the area north of the High Street and the A 5.

Watling Street continues into Dunstable as the A 5, through Hockliffe and south of the A 5 through Little Brickhill, but south of Wyness Avenue the road is lost here for approximately 1.5 miles. At the A 4146 junction the A5 runs north of Watling Street to the junction of the A 508. Watling Street runs through Fenny Stratford, Stony Stratford and Old Stratford, and follows the A5 from the A 508 junction, and continues into Towcester. Watling Street continues on the A 5 with slight variations to Weedon. From Weedon the course of Watling follows the A 5, with slight deviations just north of Weedon and the west of Norton with the largest deviation round Daventry, where the road passes through and under the rail terminal. From Daventry to Atherstone the A 5 and Watling Street follow the same route, at Atherstone Watling Street follows Witherley Road and Long Street before rejoining the A 5 at Holly Lane.

At the M42 junction Watling Street runs south of the A 5 through Wilnecote, Two Gates and Frazeley rejoining the A 5 just west of Bangley. The A 5 follows the route of Watling Street until Redhill Near Telford, where it is lost under the towns suburbs. The probable route was through St Georges and Okengates to Ketley, and along the A 5 to Wroxeter near Shrewsbury.

Then on local roads to the Stratford Bridge Camp Leintwardine Kenchester the route of the road is confused in this section and there is to much speculation to be sure.

Stone Street Local roads. The Continuation of Watling Street Into Wales

Stone Street:³: from Brecon Gaer The Roman Fort at Pen-Y-Gaer to the Roman fort at Abergavenny and Caerleon on Usk. The road south into Wales.

The Fosse Way

The Fosse Way: from Exeter to Lincoln: The western road to the north.

Take the A 30 that runs out of Exeter to Honiton, this follows the approximate route of the Fosse way. The road then splits, the direct route to Ham Hill is approximated by the A 303 but the Fosse way ran to the south (passing close to Chard). The indirect route follows the line of the A 35 to Axminster then north on the A 358 to join the A30 and the direct route, the route continues on the A 303 to Shepton Mallet, then on to Ilchester sill on the A 37. Stay on the A 37 and join the A 367 Bath road to Nettlebridge that runs to the west of the Fosse way. From its junction with Rock road it runs on Fosse Way to where the A 367 turns west and continues south east of the Fosse way, the Fosse way to Camerton is lost beneath the fields. Then back on the A 367 into Bath.

It is probable the Fosse way then passed via North Wraxall to Nettleton, then on to Easton Grey and Cirencester, the A 46 and the A 433 pass to the west of the Fosse Way

From Cirencester the A 429 follows the course of the road in spirit if not in fact, to Bourton on the Water. The A 429 then to shifts to the east if the Fosse Way as it heads to Moreton in the Marsh. The A 429 is named the Fosse Way from Moreton in the Marsh up to three miles south of Ettington, where it becomes a minor road. The Fosse way continues to Chesterton on Fosse and High Cross on the A 5 (Watling Street). It is probable the Fosse way then passed via open fields and lanes to join the Coventry Road at its junction with Leicester Road, then into Leicester.

The A 46 follows the route of the Fosse Way into Willoughby on the Wolds and then on to East Bridgeford, East Stoke/Thorpe by Newark and Brough then the A 46 joins the A 4134 into Lincoln.

Local Road Lincoln to the coast

From Lincoln to Horncastle the road has gone but it was possible it passed to the north of Bardney and on into Horncastle. The A 518 from Horncastle to Skegness
is the closest route although there has been a shift to the north of original the Roman roads.

The Roman Ferry no longer exists

The Peddars Way

The road from Holm next to the Sea to Kempstone is hard to trace but the Fakenham Road from the A 418 to Docking seems likely to have been part of the route.

Ermine Street

Ermine Street: from London to Lincoln: The eastern road north.

Start this journey by taking the A 10 out of London towards Braughing. Then join the Roman road just to the east of the A10 signposted to Buntingford to Royston where Ermine Street, the A 1198 can be used to travel towards Wimpole Lodge and on to Godmanchester. Use the A 1 and A 1(M) to Water Newton as they are very close to the Roman route (apart for the Stilton by pass).

The road from Water Newton to Great Casterton, is the A 1 or the Great North Road as it is called. This road passes to the west of modern Saltersford, the Roman road leaves the A 1 at its junction with the A 151. It then picks up the line of a road known as High Dyke. There is a bit of a bulge to the west near Colsterworth, but visualise the road continuing over the fields. The High Dyke continues towards Ancaster but when it reaches the A 153 crossroads just south of the town the road changes its name to Ermine Street. Ermine Street passes through Ancaster and becomes High Dyke again just north of the town. the road disappears when it reaches the A 17, however there is a private road running through fields that follows the course of the road. You will have to go north on the A 607 into Lincoln, Ermine Street is likely to have taken a straight course north passing through RAF Waddington through Canwick and into Lincoln.

From Lincoln Ermine Street follows the A 15 to Owmby, apart for the detour east round another airfield at Hackthorn Cliff. Still on the A 15 head north to Hibaldstow, passing of the west of the modern town.

The A 15 passes over the M180 and ends at the A 18 junction you can clearly see the route of the Roman road in the field pattern, between the junction and Appleby Lane. The modern road turns east then north to follow Scawby Road, High street (Broughton) then Appleby Lane before turning north and becoming Ermine Street again. Just north of Appleby Village Ermine Street becomes a lane it crosses Roxby Causeway it then crosses Holmes lane.

At this point approximately two and a half miles to the east of Ermine Street, and to the east of Roxby Road in the fields South of Thealby Lane at its junction with Roxby Road lies the Winterton Villa Estate, a large villa with mosaics and some out buildings.

From the junction with Holmes lane Ermine Street continues past Leys Lane and Ings Lane to the junction with the A 1077. Ermine Street continues a short way on the A 1077 Crockthorne Lane and then becomes Ermine Street and turns north at the A 1077 Sluce Lane junction. Ermine Street then continues into Winteringham the site of the southern Roman Humber ferry terminal. To get to the next point the best route is Scunthorp, Eastoft to Goole then join the M 62 then the A 63 to Brough.

The Ferry no longer exists

Ermine Street North of the Humber

Brough on Humber is the northern Roman Humber ferry terminal, Ermine Street continues to York across country but this part of the route is now hard to follow.

Stane Street

Local Road: The start of the central road north.

Bosham via Fishbourne to Chichester on the A 259.

Stane Street (And Other Roads): from Bosham to Lincoln.

Chichester the no the A 285 to Ides Common the road disappears here it is probable that it went via Bignor and joined the A 29 (Stane Street) near Watersfield. Arriving at Hardham.
Hardham. A 29 (Stane Street) to Alfoldean at the junction of the A 29 and the A 218. From Alfoldean he route is lost, (although there is a short stretch between Oakwood and Jayes Park) it is probable it then passed to the east of Dorking, Leatherhead and Epsom through Langley Vale and into Ewell. The closest likely modem route to London from Ewell is the A 24.

The Fen Causeway

To Longthorpe the road is under Peterborough and cant be seen. The probable route to Downham West (Denver) is a cross country one through Westry, Threeholes and Nordleigh, you will have to use the A 47 and the A 1122 to the north. The A 1122 in close to the original route to Kempstone (apart from the detour round Marham airfield), but from the junction of the A 1122 and the A 47 its guesswork (possibly via Great Palgrave and Great Dunham).

The Peddars Way

From Kempstone to Holme next the Sea is hard to trace but the Fakenham Road from the A 418 to Docking seems likely to have been part of the route.

A Ferry no longer exists

Local roads

From Skegness to Horncastle the A 518 is the closest route although there has been a shift to the north of the Roman roads. From Horncastle to Lincoln the road has gone but it was possible it passed to the north of Bardney and on into Lincoln.

British Road List

1. Akeman Street: 79 miles
2. Cade's Road: 100 miles
3. Dere Street: 180 miles
4. Ermine Street: 190 miles
5. Fen Causeway: 91 miles
6. Fosse Way: 231 miles
7. Icknield Street or Ryknild Street: 124 miles
8. King Street: 40 miles
9. Portway: 134 miles
10. Peddars Way: 46 miles
11. Stane Street: 65 miles
12. Stanegate: 45 miles
13. Stone Street: 63 miles
14. Watling Street: 276 miles
15. Wade's Causeway: Is a section of Roman road on Wheeldale Moor Yorkshire from the garrison at Malton to Eskdale. This 2 mile section is regarded as the best preserves Roman road in Britain, the route of the road is uncertain.
16. Via Devana: Is a road that ran from Colchester to Chester using large sections of Watling Street and Ermine Street, and so is regarded as a linking road.