Monument record MLI60943 - The Fosse Way
Summary
Roman road known as the Fosse Way, thought to have run between Lincoln and Exeter.
Type and Period (1)
- ROAD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
Full Description
The Fosse Way was a major Roman road in Lincolnshire, and has been described as the service road to the frontier, established by 47AD. The road is thought to have started in Exeter and ran north-east, passing through Leicester and Newark. The final alignment of this immensely long, straight road passed through Lincolnshire, entering North Kesteven at Norton Disney. The terminal of the alignment was at the approach to the crossing of the River Witham at Bracebridge, where the road bends east to the crossing and then northward to the city joining with Ermine Street on the way. The road continued to be of major importance after the military period, for it was the direct link between Lincoln and Leicester, the administrative centres for the colonia and civitas respectively. {1}{2}{3}
William Stukeley wrote an account of his journey down the Fosse Way in the early 18th century, travelling from Lincoln to Newark. He drew sketches of some of the places he passed, including one showing the area around Potter Hill, on the county boundary between Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire (see MLI84099). {4}
A rough metalled surface was encountered in 1992-3, during a watching brief carried out on a watermains relay, 17m east of High Street, on Sibthorpe Street (SK 97310 70445). The surface lay approximately 1.1m below the modern road, and appears to be the eastern edge of the Fosse Way. Closer to High Street, the surface developed into a more substantial one, and the upper parts lay 0.7m below the modern road. {5}
Possible remains of the Fosse Way, in the form of a metalled road surface, have been located at SK 9726 7026. The upper levels of this surface were revealed c.2.2m below the present carriageway. {6}{7}
Sources/Archives (7)
- <1> SLI1094 Bibliographic Reference: Ivan D. Margary. 1973. Roman Roads in Britain (3rd edition). RR5f, p.219-21.
- <2> SLI1093 Bibliographic Reference: J.B. Whitwell. 1992. Roman Lincolnshire. pp.45-6.
- <3> SLI4534 Report: Trent and Peak Archaeological Trust. 1991. Archaeology of the Fosse Way. -.
- <4> SLI17069 Bibliographic Reference: William Stukeley. 1776. Itinerarium Curiosum (Second Edition). pp.103-4, plate.
- <5> SLI5289 Report: City of Lincoln Archaeology Unit. 1994. Sincil Bank West (Watermains Relay): Archaeological Recording. SWW92.
- <6> SLI5343 Report: City of Lincoln Archaeology Unit. 1997. Lincoln, Southern Subsidiary Sewers: Archaeological Watching Brief. SUS96.
- <7> SLI1767 Archive: City of Lincoln Archaeology Unit. 1997. Lincoln, Southern Subsidiary Sewers: Archaeological Watching Brief. LCNCC 11.96.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SK 926 657 (12423m by 10851m) Estimated from Sources |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | AUBOURN HADDINGTON AND SOUTH HYKEHAM, NORTH KESTEVEN, LINCOLNSHIRE |
| Civil Parish | NORTH HYKEHAM, NORTH KESTEVEN, LINCOLNSHIRE |
| Civil Parish | NORTON DISNEY, NORTH KESTEVEN, LINCOLNSHIRE |
| Civil Parish | PARK, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE |
| Civil Parish | SWINDERBY, NORTH KESTEVEN, LINCOLNSHIRE |
| Civil Parish | THORPE ON THE HILL, NORTH KESTEVEN, LINCOLNSHIRE |
| Civil Parish | BOULTHAM, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE |
| Civil Parish | BRACEBRIDGE, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE |
| Civil Parish | MOORLAND, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (2)
External Links (0)
Record last edited
May 26 2023 10:52AM
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