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Introduction
Of the estimated 10,000 miles of Roman roads in Britain, Ermine Street is one of the best known. It runs for approximately 200 miles from London to York. The Ermine Way is another Roman road which runs through the Cotswolds via Cirencester (Corinium) and Gloucester (Glevum).
Route
Ermine Street is an early Roman road started in the first century AD. It acts like a continuation of Stane Street, which runs into London (Londinium) from Chichester (Noviomagus). Heading north from the capital on the line of the current A10, the first major intersection was at the native settlement of Braughing, north of Hertford, which was the hub of several roads. The A1198 north of Royston picks up Ermine Street again and takes a direct route to what was the fort and town of Godmanchester (Durovigutum), this is an extremely straight section. The A1(M) up to Peterborough takes a similar line to the centre of the Nene Valley ceramic production region based around Water Newton (Durobrivae). From Peterborough the A15 takes a similar path (though too far to the west) as Ermine Street makes its way to the fortress town of Lincoln (Lindum). North of Lincoln the A15 follows Ermine Street more faithfully as a straight road to the M180 at Scawby, after which it becomes the B1207 all the way to the River Humber. After a crossing to Brough (Petvaria) on the northern bank, Ermine street continues as the A1034 to Market Weighton where the A1079 continues the route curving north-west to the fortress settlement and coloniae of York (Eberacum).
Aerial shot of the modern route of Fosse Way at Turkdean © Mick Aston
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Introduction
At over 220 miles long the Fosse Way cuts a swathe right across England from Exeter (Isca) in Devon to Lincoln (Lindum) in the North East. It covers some eight modern counties.
Route
Starting at the fortress settlement of Isca (modern-day Exeter), the Fosse Way roughly follows the A30 to Honiton where it then cuts south along the A35 to Axminster. Here it cuts north again and follows an unclear line to Ilchester (Lindinis). The A37 and A367 to Bath (Aquae Sulis) via Shepton Mallet follow the original road quite well, but the section north of Bath to Cirencester (Corinium) is mainly only traceable through country lanes until it picks up the end of the A433 into Cirencester itself. The Fosse Way becomes much clearer as you leave Cirencester by the A429 northbound. Over the River Stour at Halford it becomes the B4455 and continues past Coventry to cross the A5 (Watling Street) and becomes the B4114 into Leicester (Ratae). From Leicester the Fosse Way takes the path of the A46 all the way to Lincoln (Lindum) where it joins the Ermine Street.
Introduction
Still known today as Watling Street in the many towns through which it passes, this Roman road covers over 200 miles as it reaches from Dover (Dubris) in the south-east to Wroxeter (Viroconium) in Shropshire, and onwards into North Wales.
Route
Roughly on a line with the A256 (then A2) out of Dover, Watling Street enters the Roman city of Canterbury (Durovernum) via the A2050. From here the A2 west is fairly close to the original road route until after Faversham where the road becomes more faithful. It enters London (Londinium) via the Old Kent Road and leaves via the West End, Maida Vale and the Kilburn High Road (A5) and continues as the A5183 where it is still known as Watling Street between the M1 and M25. Crossing the Roman fort and settlement of St Albans (Verulamium) it continues as the A5 through Dunstable (Durocobrivis), Towcester (Lactodurum), High Cross (Venonis – where it crosses the B4455 Fosse Way) and curves on north of Birmingham to the legionary fortress at Wroxeter (Viroconium). From Wroxeter several Roman roads are known which extend Watling Street to the west into Wales and other branches lead off north and south through the borders.
Introduction
Situated on the east of the Wheeldale Moor, some 9.5 miles south-west of Whitby and 5 miles east of Rosedale Abbey (OS grid ref: SE8298) lies a section of Roman Road called Wade's Causeway.
Description
There has been some debate among archaeologists about Wade's Causeway being a lost extension of Ermine Street, but the evidence connecting this lost fragment of metalled Roman road surface with Ermine Street at South Newbald, some 40 miles away, leaves a lot to be desired. Thought to connect two small forts at Cawthorn in the south of the moor and Lease Rigg in the north, Wade's Causeway certainly has an atmospheric setting on the moor. A mixture of cobbles and stone slabs crossing the moor are still clearly visible today and, whatever their purpose, they offer the visitor the rare chance to walk on an original Roman road surface in Britain.
Introduction
One of the finest and most well crafted original sections of Roman road is preserved in-situ at Blackstone Edge near Littleborough (OS grid ref: SD9651).
Description
This section of a Roman road belongs to an artery which ran from the fort and settlement of Manchester (Mamucium) in the south to a small fort at Ilkley (Verbeia) in the north. This preserved surface is in outstanding condition and is well worth a visit. Accurately cut cobbles are set close to each other in a tight and regimented fashion. Unusually the road surface incorporates a carved stone drainage gulley in its surface, together with the common practice of cambering the road to run water into drainage ditches at the sides. The road is up to 6 metres across and can be traced in the landscape for some 2 miles.
Introduction
The Weald in Sussex is well known for its iron working. This was no different in Roman times when a thriving mining community existed across the region from Broadfield in the west to Chitcombe in the east.
Description
In the centre of the Weald at Holtye, near East Grinstead, a variety of iron mines are known and excavations in the 1970s discovered that a by-product of iron working was used to surface a Roman road thought to run between London (Londinium) and Lewes on the south coast (OS grid ref: TQ4540). Tons of iron slag were found compacted and embedded into the surface creating a tough and durable road some 250 metres in length. The road remains uncovered and can be seen today.
Introduction
Stane Street follows a route across Sussex from Chichester (Noviomagus) to London (Londinium), a distance of some 57 miles. Parts of the route are thought to have prehistoric origins.
Route
Starting in Chichester parts of the first section of Stane Street can be picked up at the southern end of the A285 and then across the Sussex Downs on parts of the A29, through the Roman settlements at Pulborough, Alfoldean and Ewell. Once over the modern line of the M25, Stane Street appears to take a similar route to the modern A24 into London from the south through Tooting, Balham and Clapham.
Introduction
Peddars Way is a relatively short Roman road which cuts through Norfolk south to north in a region which was once home to the Iron-Age, and then later Romanised, Iceni people. Peddars Way is thought to be a Roman 'modernisation' of an older prehistoric route.
Route
Covering some 47 miles, Peddars Way is now a footpath which is part of a national trail (which continues into the Norfolk coastal path), so it can be walked. Once an economic lifeline from the country to the coast, it starts at Knettishall Heath near Thetford and heads north over the A1066 and the River Thet. It continues through Wretham, Thompson and Merton where it crosses the B1108 and B1077 cutting between North Pickenham and South Pickenham. Once past Swaffham, a length of modern road following the original path can be picked up north of Castle Acre. After crossing the B1145 the footpath takes you straight to Fring and then north to the coast, where some further sections of faithful modern road can be seen leading you to Holme next the Sea.
Introduction
Akeman Street is a 78 mile Roman road which goes through Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire as a link between the provincial capital of London (Londinium) and the west country.
Route
Originally starting either at St Albans (Verulamium) or the Roman Kilns at Brockley Hill (Sulloniacis), the confirmed sections of the Akeman Way start forming to the west of Hemel Hempstead. The A4251, which becomes the A41 by Tring, leads to Aylesbury and then on to the Roman settlement of Alchester, close to Bicester. From here the road becomes more sketchy, though sections can be picked up on the A4095 south-west to Witney as the Akeman Way curves towards the Burford area. From here the B4425 cuts down to Cirencester (Corinium) crossing both the River Leach and River Coln on the way. At Cirencester the Akeman Way terminates at its junction with the Fosse Way.
An overgrown section of Icknield Street was recently reopened by the Countryside Management Service and villagers of Ickleford near Letchworth © Colin Thurstance www.icklefordpc.com
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Introduction
Not to be confused with the Icknield Way (a prehistoric track that runs from Dorset to Norfolk), Icknield Street is a section of Roman road which runs north from Bourton, near Stow on the Wold, over 100 miles to Templeborough in modern Rotherham.
Route
Connected to the Fosse Way at its start, Icknield Street effectively becomes a westward branch of the Fosse Way, drawing a new line of communication closer to the Welsh borders. Starting at Bourton the road tracks north to Alcester and through what is now Birmingham. This illusive road finally becomes clearly visible at Sutton Park, east of Walsall (see the website of the Birmingham Roman Roads Project for further details). From Wall (Letocetum), south of Litchfield, Icknield Street follows the same route as the A38 to Littlechester (Derventio) in Derby. North of Derby it gets harder to trace but effectively follows the line between Chesterfield and Rotherham, both of which held Roman forts.
Click here for recommended books and websites about Roman Roads.
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In AD 60 life was getting more and more harsh for the Iceni. 
