The Foss Dyke is generally accepted as being an artificial canal of Roman construction, although there is no absolute proof that it is Roman. It can be shown by medieval documents to be of pre-Norman construction, and if we look for their builders before the 11th century it seems to belong in concept and execution to the Roman period. It was reuseMars Gradivusd in the medieval period. {1}{2} A figurine of Mars Gradivus was found in the Foss Dyke while dredging in the 18th century, this important find has since been used as evidence of the Romans constructing the canal. See also PRN 54784. {3}{4}