Discover the remnants of an ancient Roman road in Cambridgeshire, connecting historic sites and towns, some still in use today, showcasing the region’s rich history.
Cambridgeshire: The Roman Empire built many roads in England to connect military camps and towns. Some of these roads still exist today, thousands of years later.
In Cambridgeshire, you can walk on some of these ancient roads. Others have been lost to time, but a few are still in use.
One notable road is King Street. It was built during Emperor Hadrian’s reign, around 117 to 138 AD. This road ran from Durobrivae, near Peterborough, to Bourne and then northwest to Ermine Street.
The road traveled north through Lolham Bridges and crossed the River Glen at Kates Bridge. Interestingly, it used the same crossing until the 1820s, even though the river had changed course long before.
Continuing to Bourne in Lincolnshire, the historic Bourne Abbey was later built there. Founded in 1138, it was made for a community of monks and is now a Grade I listed building.
The road went through Bourne, where Bourne Abbey stands today. It then continued along Meadowgate, through Cawthorpe, and onto Clipseygap Lane and Hanthorpe.
It crossed through Stainfield, a site of a Roman station where many coins have been found. The road then picked up again at Hanby, passing through Sapperton before joining Ermine Street near Ancaster.
Today, the name King Street refers to the part still in use, located between Ailsworth Heath in the south and Kate’s Bridge in the north.
