 The modern Watling Street crossing the Medway at Rochester near the Roman and Celt crossings Watling Street is the name given to an ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Celts mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. The Romans later paved the route, part of which is identified on the Antonine Itinerary as Iter III: "Item a Londinio ad portum Dubris" - from London to the port of Dover. The name derives from the Anglo-Saxon Wæcelinga Stræt, which has come to be understood as the A2 road from Dover to London, and then the A5 road from London to Wroxeter. Originally the word "street" simply meant a paved road (Latin: "via strata"), and did not have the modern association with populated areas. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1121x654, 88 KB) Summary Author: User:SilkTork. ...
Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1121x654, 88 KB) Summary Author: User:SilkTork. ...
The Concise Oxford Dictionary gives the definition of trackway as a path formed by the repeated treading of people or animals, and it is with this idea in mind that this article has been written. ...
Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the King (Queen) England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified - by Athelstan 967 AD Area - Total 130,395 km² 50,346 sq mi Population - 2006 estimate...
This article is about the country. ...
A Celtic cross. ...
Canterbury is a cathedral city in east Kent in South East England and is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primate of All England, head of the Church of England and of the worldwide Anglican Communion. ...
St Albans is the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans in southern Hertfordshire, England, around 22 miles (35. ...
The Antonine Itinerary is a Latin document that can be described as the Road Map of Roman Britain. ...
London has a recorded history that goes back over 2,000 years. ...
Roman Dover Dubris or Portus Dubris, Roman name for Roman-founded town of Dover, Kent, England. ...
Note: This page contains phonetic information presented in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) using Unicode. ...
Not to be confused with A2 road (Northern Ireland). ...
The A5 is a major road in the United Kingdom. ...
Wroxeter is a village in the county of Shropshire, England, on the east bank of the River Severn, at grid reference SJ563082. ...
History
Roman A Roman road known as Iter III went from London to Dover. The last section of the long Iter II route from Hadrian's Wall travelled through Viroconium (now Wroxeter in Shropshire), past Letocetum (modern day Wall), Manduessedum (modern day Mancetter - possible site of Boudica's last battle), Venonis (modern day High Cross), Bannaventa, Lactotorum (modern day Towcester - near another possible site of Boudica's last battle)), then through Stony Stratford and Magiovinium (Fenny Stratford) in modern day Milton Keynes, Durocobrivis (modern day Dunstable), Verulamium (near modern-day St Albans in Hertfordshire) and London (including the modern Old Kent Road) to Rutupiae (now Richborough in Kent) on the southeast coast of England. While another section of Iter II linked Wroxeter to Chester, and other roads went into north Wales and central Wales, these are not generally considered to be part of Watling Street. Thus the Roman routes which comprise Watling Street are all of Iter III and the middle southern section of Iter II. A Roman road in Pompeii. ...
This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...
Viroconium Cornoviorum, or simply Viroconium, was a Roman town, one corner of which is now occupied by the small village of Wroxeter in the English county of Shropshire, about 8 km (5 miles) east-south-east of Shrewsbury. ...
Wroxeter is a village in the county of Shropshire, England, on the east bank of the River Severn, at grid reference SJ563082. ...
Shropshire (alternatively Salop or abbreviated Shrops) is an English county in the West Midlands region of the United Kingdom. ...
Letocetum is a historical site, now known as the village of Wall, Staffordshire, England, being the remains of a Roman settlement. ...
Wall Church in C19 Wall is a small village in Staffordshire, England, just south of Lichfield. ...
Manduessedum was a Roman fort settlement in modern day Warwickshire in England. ...
Mancetter is a village and civil parish in the North Warwickshire district of Warwickshire, England. ...
Statue of Boudica near Westminster Pier, London, with her two daughters upon a chariot Boudica (also spelled Boudicca, formerly better known as Boadicea) (d. ...
Generally, a battle is an instance of combat in warfare between two or more parties wherein each group will seek to defeat the others. ...
High Cross is the crossroads of the Roman Roads of Watling Street and Fosse Way in Leicestershire, England. ...
A Roman Station About two miles to the west of Little Claybrook, in the hundred of Luthlaxton, in Leicestershire, is a place called High Cross, which, according to some antiquarians, was the Benonce or Vennones of the Romans. ...
Bannaventa was a small defended Roman settlement in England upon the Watling Street Roman road (now known as the A5). ...
Map sources for Towcester at grid reference SP691481 Towcester (pronounced ) is a small town in Northamptonshire, England with a population of 8,856 (2001 census). ...
Location within the British Isles. ...
Fenny Stratford is a town in the Unitary Authority of Milton Keynes, in England. ...
Milton Keynes is a large town in northern Buckinghamshire, in South East England, about 45 miles/75 km north-west of London, and roughly halfway between London and Birmingham. ...
Dunstable is a town in the county of Bedfordshire, with a population of 33,805 (2001 census). ...
Remains of the city walls Verulamium was the third largest city in Roman Britain. ...
St Albans is the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans in southern Hertfordshire, England, around 22 miles (35. ...
Hertfordshire (pronounced Hartfordshire and abbreviated as Herts) is an inland county in the United Kingdom and part of the East of England Government Office region. ...
Old Kent Road is a road in south London. ...
Map sources for Rutupiae at grid reference TR3361 Ruins Richborough Castle Rutupiae was the Roman name for Richborough near Sandwich, Kent, which they founded. ...
Richborough is a settlement just north of Sandwich on the east coast of the English county of Kent. ...
coat of Arms of Kent For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ...
Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the King (Queen) England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified - by Athelstan 967 AD Area - Total 130,395 km² 50,346 sq mi Population - 2006 estimate...
For the larger local government district, see City of Chester. ...
This article is about the country. ...
Main section
Roman Britain, with the route of Watling Street in red The main section of the road is that from Dover to Wroxeter. It was named Wæcelinga Stræt by the Anglo-Saxons, literally "the street of the people of Wæcel". Wæcel could possibly be a variation of the Anglo-Saxon word for 'foreigner' which was applied to the Celtic people inhabiting what is now Wales. This source also gave us the name for Wæclingacaester (the Anglo-Saxon name for Verulamium) and it seems likely that the road-name was originally applied first to the section between that town and London before being applied to the entire road. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 462 pixelsFull resolution (807 × 466 pixel, file size: 84 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Watling Street route from Image:Romanbritain. ...
Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 462 pixelsFull resolution (807 × 466 pixel, file size: 84 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Watling Street route from Image:Romanbritain. ...
Abbey Road in London A street name or odonym is an identifying name given to a street. ...
This article is about the European people. ...
Subsidiary routes Stone Street ran south for some 12 miles from Watling Street at Canterbury (the Roman Durovernum) to Lympne (Lemanis) at the western edge of the Romney Marsh. Most of it is now the current B2068 road that runs from the M20 motorway to Canterbury. Stone Street was one of the Roman roads in Kent. ...
Canterbury is a cathedral city in east Kent in South East England and is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primate of All England, head of the Church of England and of the worldwide Anglican Communion. ...
Lympne (pronounced limm) village is situated on the once sea cliffs above the Romney Marsh in Kent. ...
The Romney Marsh is a sparsely-populated wetland area in the counties of Kent and East Sussex in the south-east of England. ...
The M20 motorway is a major road in England. ...
Canterbury is a cathedral city in east Kent in South East England and is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primate of All England, head of the Church of England and of the worldwide Anglican Communion. ...
Another Stone Street from Magnae (Kenchester) to Caerleon. Caerleon (Welsh: ) is a suburban village and community, situated on the River Usk in the northern outskirts of the city of Newport (of which it is also a electoral ward) in south-east Wales. ...
Battle of Watling Street -
Part of the route was the site of the Roman victory at the Battle of Watling Street in 61 AD between the Roman governor Gaius Suetonius Paulinus and the Briton leader Boudica. Combatants Roman Empire Iceni, Trinovantes, and other British tribes Commanders Gaius Suetonius Paulinus Boudica †Strength About 10,000 to 12,000 Estimated at 200,000 to 400,000 Casualties At least 400 Recorded at over 150,000 The Battle of Watling Street took place in AD 61 between an alliance...
Combatants Roman Empire Iceni, Trinovantes, and other British tribes Commanders Gaius Suetonius Paulinus Boudica †Strength About 10,000 to 12,000 Estimated at 200,000 to 400,000 Casualties At least 400 Recorded at over 150,000 The Battle of Watling Street took place in AD 61 between an alliance...
Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, also spelled Paullinus, (flourished 1st century CE) was a Roman general. ...
Languages Cornish, Dgèrnésiais, English, French, Irish, Jèrriais, Manx, Scots, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh Religions Anglican, Presbyterianism, Roman Catholicism Related ethnic groups Americans, Australians, Belongers, Canadians, Channel Islanders, Cornish, English, Irish, Manx, New Zealanders, Scottish, Welsh British people, or Britons,[7] are inhabitants of Great Britain[8][9] or...
Statue of Boudica near Westminster Pier, London, with her two daughters upon a chariot Boudica (also spelled Boudicca, formerly better known as Boadicea) (d. ...
Danelaw -
In the 9th century, Watling Street was used as the demarcation line between the Anglo-Saxon and Danish-ruled parts of England. The Treaty of Wedmore required the defeated Danes to withdraw to an area north and east of Watling Street, thus establishing the Danelaw. Green: Danelaw The Danelaw (from the Old English Dena lagu, Danish: Danelagen ) is an 11th century name for an area of northern and eastern England under the administrative control of the Vikings (or Danes, or Norsemen) from the late 9th century. ...
As a means of recording the passage of time the 9th century was that century that lasted from 801 to 900. ...
The Treaty of Wedmore, signed at Wedmore in Somerset, was the result of the Battle of Edington (OE. Ethandun) in 878 AD, in which Alfred the Great defeated the viking forces of the Dane, Guthrum. ...
Green: Danelaw The Danelaw (from the Old English Dena lagu, Danish: Danelagen ) is an 11th century name for an area of northern and eastern England under the administrative control of the Vikings (or Danes, or Norsemen) from the late 9th century. ...
Pilgrims Way -
Like most of the Roman road network, the Roman paving fell into disrepair when the Romans left Britain, although the route continued to be used for centuries afterwards. It is likely that Chaucer's pilgrims used Watling Street to travel from Southwark to Canterbury in his Canterbury Tales. The Pilgrims Way is reputedly the route taken by pilgrims to the shrine of Thomas Becket from Winchester in Hampshire to Canterbury in Kent, England. ...
Chaucer: Illustration from Cassells History of England, circa 1902 Chanticleer the rooster from an outdoor production of Chanticleer and the Fox at Ashby_de_la_Zouch castle Geoffrey Chaucer (ca. ...
The Borough or Southwark is an area of the London Borough of Southwark situated 1. ...
Canterbury is a cathedral city in east Kent in South East England and is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primate of All England, head of the Church of England and of the worldwide Anglican Communion. ...
Canterbury Tales Woodcut 1484 The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written by Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century (two of them in prose, the rest in verse). ...
Turnpike The road north of London became a Turnpike when in 1706[1] the section from Hockliffe to Dunchurch was paved. The road was re-paved in the early 19th century by Thomas Telford who brought it back into use as a turnpike road for use by mail coaches bringing mail to and from Ireland, his road being extended to the port of Holyhead on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales. At this time the section south of London became known as the Great Dover Road. The toll system ended in 1875. The Hyde Park Toll Gate, London. ...
Events March 27 - Concluding that Emperor Iyasus I of Ethiopia had abdicated by retiring to a monastery, a council of high officials appoint Tekle Haymanot I Emperor of Ethiopia May 23 - Battle of Ramillies September 7 - The Battle of Turin in the War of Spanish Succession - forces of Austria and...
Hockliffe is a village in Bedfordshire on the crossroads of the A5 road (formerly Watling Street) and the A4012 road. ...
Guy Fawkes House Map sources for Dunchurch at grid reference SP485712 Dunchurch is a historic village and civil parish on the south-western outskirts of Rugby in Warwickshire, England. ...
Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Thomas Telford (August 9, 1757 - September 2, 1834) was born in Westerkirk, Scotland. ...
Holyhead (Welsh: Caergybi, the fort of St. ...
Anglesey or Anglesea (Welsh: Ynys Môn pronounced Uh-niss Mawn), is an island and county in north-west Wales. ...
This article is about the country. ...
Modern Road -
Most of the road is still in use today apart from a few sections where it has been diverted. The stretch of the road between London and Dover is today known as the A2, and the stretch between London and Shrewsbury is today known as the A5 (which now continues to Holyhead). Through Milton Keynes, the A5 is diverted onto a new dual-carriageway and Watling Street forms part of the new town's grid system and carries the additional designation V4. The name of the town of Wellington, Shropshire, which lies just east of Shrewsbury, is believed to be a corruption of the word 'Watling town' as Watling Street supposedly ran straight through the centre of Wellington. Not to be confused with A2 road (Northern Ireland). ...
The A5 is a major road in the United Kingdom. ...
Not to be confused with A2 road (Northern Ireland). ...
Shrewsbury (pronounced either or ) is a town of 70,560 inhabitants [1] in Shropshire, England. ...
The A5 is a major road in the United Kingdom. ...
Holyhead (Welsh: Caergybi, the fort of St. ...
Milton Keynes is a large town in northern Buckinghamshire, in South East England, about 45 miles/75 km north-west of London, and roughly halfway between London and Birmingham. ...
Map sources for Wellington, Shropshire at grid reference SJ6411 Wellington is a town in Shropshire, England and now forms part of the New Town of Telford. ...
Continued use of the name along the ancient road The use of the street name is retained along the ancient road in many places: for instance, to the south east of Roman London in Greenwich and on into Kent (including the towns of Canterbury, Gillingham, Rochester, Gravesend, Dartford, and Bexleyheath). Similarly north of London, the name Watling Street still occurs in Hertfordshire (including St Albans), Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire (including Milton Keynes), Northamptonshire (including Towcester), Leicestershire, Warwickshire (including Nuneaton), Staffordshire (including Cannock, Wall and Lichfield), Shropshire and Gwynedd. London has a recorded history that goes back over 2,000 years. ...
One of the Royal Parks of London, Greenwich Park is a former deer-park in Greenwich and one of the largest single green spaces in south east London. ...
coat of Arms of Kent For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ...
Canterbury is a cathedral city in east Kent in South East England and is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primate of All England, head of the Church of England and of the worldwide Anglican Communion. ...
Gillingham is a town in Kent, England, forming part of the Medway conurbation; it is a constituent of Medway unitary authority. ...
Rochester is a small town in Kent, at the lowest bridging point of the River Medway about 30 miles (50 km) from London. ...
Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. ...
Dartford is the principal town in the borough of Dartford. ...
Bexleyheath, formerly known as Bexley New Town, part of the London Borough of Bexley, consists of a suburban development located 12 miles (19. ...
Hertfordshire (pronounced Hartfordshire and abbreviated as Herts) is an inland county in the United Kingdom and part of the East of England Government Office region. ...
St Albans is the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans in southern Hertfordshire, England, around 22 miles (35. ...
Bedfordshire (abbreviated Beds) is a county in England that forms part of the East of England region. ...
Buckinghamshire (abbreviated Bucks) is one of the home counties in South East England. ...
Milton Keynes is a large town in northern Buckinghamshire, in South East England, about 45 miles/75 km north-west of London, and roughly halfway between London and Birmingham. ...
Northamptonshire (abbreviated Northants or Nhants) is a landlocked county in central England with a population of 629,676 (2001 census). ...
Map sources for Towcester at grid reference SP691481 Towcester (pronounced ) is a small town in Northamptonshire, England with a population of 8,856 (2001 census). ...
Leicestershire ( IPA: (RP), IPA: (locally)), abbreviation Leics. ...
A detailed map Stratford-upon-Avon Kenilworth Castle Warwickshire (pronounced //, //, or //) is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in central England. ...
Nuneaton is the largest town in the English county of Warwickshire, and the borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth. ...
Staffordshire (abbreviated Staffs) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. ...
Map sources for Cannock at grid reference SJ9810 Cannock is a town in Staffordshire, just north of the West Midlands conurbation. ...
Letocetum is a historical site, now known as the village of Wall, Staffordshire, England, being the remains of a Roman settlement. ...
The West Front of Lichfield Cathedral, June 2005 Lichfield (Welsh: Caerlwytgoed) is a small city and civil parish in Staffordshire, 110 miles northwest of London and 14 miles north of Birmingham. ...
Shropshire (alternatively Salop or abbreviated Shrops) is an English county in the West Midlands region of the United Kingdom. ...
Gwynedd is an administrative county in Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. ...
Other Watling Streets A Watling Street still exists in the City of London, close to Mansion House underground station, though this is unlikely to be on the route of the original Roman road which traversed the River Thames via the first London Bridge. In Lancashire, Watling Street is the Roman Road through Affetside which leads from Manchester to Ribchester. The City of London is a geographically-small city within Greater London, England. ...
Categories: Circle Line stations | District Line stations | London Underground stubs ...
The Thames (pronounced //) is a river flowing through southern England, and one of the major waterways in England. ...
For other uses, see London Bridge (disambiguation). ...
Affetside is a village in the English metropolitan county of Greater Manchester. ...
Ribchester is a village in the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England, near the towns of Blackburn and Preston. ...
The Roman Road from Catterick (Cataractonium) to Corbridge (Corstopitum) and onto the Antonine Wall also came to be known as Watling Street,[2] with perhaps a similar Anglo-Saxon etymology owing to its path into the foreign land of Scotland. This route is also known as Dere Street. This may also be the case for another Watling Street[2][3] between Manchester (Mancunium) and Ribchester (Bremetennacum) which ultimately led to another 'foreign land' in Saxon times, that of Cumbria. Map sources for Catterick, North Yorkshire at grid reference SE2497 The village dates back to Roman times, when Cataractonium was a Roman fort protecting the crossing of the Great North Road over the River Swale. ...
Corbridge Corbridge is a town in Northumberland, England, situated 25 km (16 miles) west of Newcastle and 6 km (4 miles) east of Hexham. ...
The Antonine Wall, looking east, from Barr Hill between Twechar and Croy The Antonine Wall, remains of Roman fortlet, Barr Hill, near Twechar Location of Hadrians Wall and the Antonine Wall in Scotland and Northern England. ...
Old English (also called Anglo-Saxon) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ...
Not to be confused with Entomology, the study of insects. ...
Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Cha togar mfhearg gun dioladh (Scottish Gaelic)1 Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic, Scots Government Constitutional monarchy - Queen Queen Elizabeth II...
Roman Britain, with the route of Dere Street in red Dere Street or Deere Street, (latterly Via Regia in Scotland) was a Roman Road between York and Scotland. ...
This article is about the City of Manchester in England. ...
Ribchester is a village in the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England, near the towns of Blackburn and Preston. ...
Cumbria (IPA: ), is a shire county in the extreme North West of England. ...
See also Not to be confused with A2 road (Northern Ireland). ...
Principal sites in Roman Britain Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between 43 and 410. ...
Roman roads, together with Roman aqueducts and the vast standing Roman Army (until 284 A.D., c. ...
Fenny Stratford is a town in the Unitary Authority of Milton Keynes, in England. ...
Map sources for Towcester at grid reference SP691481 Towcester (pronounced ) is a small town in Northamptonshire, England with a population of 8,856 (2001 census). ...
Bannaventa was a small defended Roman settlement in England upon the Watling Street Roman road (now known as the A5). ...
Tripontium was a Roman town, in England upon the Watling Street Roman road (now known as the A5). ...
Manduessedum was a Roman fort settlement in modern day Warwickshire in England. ...
References Download high resolution version (880x1394, 179 KB)Map of Roman Britain from Atlas of European History, Earle W Dowe, London, G Bell & Sons, 1910 This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ...
Further reading O. Roucoux, The Roman Watling Street: from London to High Cross, Dunstable Museum Trust, 1984, ISBN 0-9508406-2-9.
External links - The Antonine Itinerary
- Map of Roman roads in Britain - Very large map; opens in separate window.
 This article about a linear feature lacks geographic coordinates, or has only one. You can help by adding them, for each end, and perhaps the middle and any other significant points. Please don't be overly precise. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...
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