Carpenters Wood – Roman Road

You can see the remains in the image below, showing in a LiDAR  (laser scanning) image  picked out in blue. If you have visited the trail at Hodgemoor Wood, this is an extension of that road, but not as easy to see. In fact on the ground you would see nothing! But 1800 years ago, this would have been a thriving route between some of the biggest urban centres in the region. It has been suggested by researchers that this is part of the route between between Verulamium (at St. Albans) and Calleva Atrebatum (at Silchester, near Basingstoke in Hampshire). Even though you can’t see the road anymore, imagine a bustling roadway with people and animals moving to and fro, and carts laden with goods moving around the countryside.

Roman roads were built in southern Britain to help the Roman army move efficiently, improve communication, and support trade and control over the land. The Romans designed and constructed their roads with great precision. Engineers would first survey the land to find the straightest and most direct routes, but it is not true that they always built in straight lines – they also took advantage of topography and in some cases, older existing routeways. They then dug trenches and laid down several layers of materials to create a durable surface. The foundation consisted of large stones, followed by smaller gravel or crushed stone, and the top was often paved with rounded stones, or cobbles.

Apart from military reasons,  the roads were crucial for trade and communication, allowing goods to be transported more easily and messages to be sent quickly between Roman towns and forts. This network of roads also helped in the ‘Romanisation’ of Britain, spreading Roman culture, law, and governance across the province. Ultimately, Roman roads played a key role in maintaining hundreds of years of Empire in Britain.