 | Ermine Street: Encyclopedia II - Ermine Street - The course of Ermine Street
Ermine Street - The course of Ermine Street
The section of Ermine Street from London to Royston, Hertfordshire is now largely part of the A10. At this point it crosses the Icknield Way. From Royston, it was formerly represented by the A14 to the A1 but now it is the A1198 to Godmanchester (Durovigutum) and ignoring bypasses and modern diversions, the road through Huntingdon to the Alconbury junction on the A1 gives the line. The section from Alconbury to Water Newton, ignoring modern bypasses such as that at Stilton, is represented by the A1. Ermine street used to pass through Durobrivae, the slight remains of which can be seen to the east, alongside the A1. The modern road returns to Ermine Street north-west of Stamford, near Great Casterton, through which Ermine Street ran.
The post-Roman road wandered off for four kilometres through Colsterworth but Ermine Street continues as the B6403, through Ancaster (Causennae), to the A17. It then continues further, as a public right of way, easily walked, until Waddington airfield blocks it at SK981626. The section north of Ancaster particularly this quieter part, is known as High Dike. It runs roughly parallel with and to the east of the A607 between Carlton Scroop and Harmston. The High Dike takes to the level, open, dry country of the Lincolnshire Heath while the A607 wanders through the villages on the spring line below.
Another long section also remains, now the A15, running north out of Lincoln, past Scampton and Caenby Corner, as far as Kirton in Lindsey at Grid reference SE9698. Ermine Street then continues almost to the Humber at Winteringham. Before the diversion was made round the extended runway at Scampton, with a very slight diversion at Broughton, it was possible to travel about 53 kilometres, from the Newport Arch, the Roman north gate at Lincoln to the Parish of Winteringham along a road so slightly curved as to be regarded as straight. This may possibly have been the longest single section of straight road in England - ever.
Roman Winterinham was the terminal for the ferry to Petuaria on the north shore of the Humber. It is now known as Brough . From there, the road curved westwards to York.
Other related archives43, A1, A10, A1198, Alconbury, Anglo-Saxon, Brough, Cambridgeshire, Chichester, Colsterworth, Durobrivae, England, Ermin Street, Gloucester, Icknield Way, Lincoln, Lindsey's list of kings, London, River Trent, Roman Britain, Roman road, Roman roads in Britain, Royston, Hertfordshire, Silchester, Water Newton, Winteringham, York
 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "The course of Ermine Street", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki |
