Crayford - Watling Street anomaly

[Lonewolf]

Does anyone know whats going on here? Apparently Watling Street takes a bit of a dog leg to go through what is now Crayford arriving at the high street at the northern end rather than the more obvious (and more straight) path via the A207 which arrives at the southern end of the high street. About the only thing I can come up with was that the old route (yellow line) goes up and over a hill which seems to be a Roman prediliction. (Although I'm not sure the legions would agree).

Also if this is the case, is there any way I can find out when the 'newer' road (green line) was built without heading down to Kent in person. Is there some kind of internet archive that deals with such things?

[Bomag]

Does anyone know whats going on here? Apparently Watling Street takes a bit of a dog leg to go through what is now Crayford arriving at the high street at the northern end rather than the more obvious (and more straight) path via the A207 which arrives at the southern end of the high street. About the only thing I can come up with was that the old route (yellow line) goes up and over a hill which seems to be a Roman prediliction. (Although I'm not sure the legions would agree).

Also if this is the case, is there any way I can find out when the 'newer' road (green line) was built without heading down to Kent in person. Is there some kind of internet archive that deals with such things?

From other locations the top two are.

1. There was a fort/fortlet/mansio on the top of the small hill.
2. The topography over time would not allow using the direct route. The river course was up against the slope, or the bridge crossing had to be moved?

In both cases the original course, as laid out (C1AD) was possible direct and then adjusted as justified. Between 43AD and the expansion from the Fosse way (under Agricola 70/80s) the construction of the roads would have been more limited than what we see today (which date from AD350+) and what was visible to the dark age/jutes/saxons who provided the names.

[Steven]

Is there some kind of internet archive that deals with such things?

There's SABRE...

Or more specifically, SABRE Maps and the SABRE Wiki.

I can tell you with a 30 second look at Maps that the A2 went via the green route in 1922, so it has to be from before that date.

[Lonewolf]

There's SABRE...

Or more specifically, SABRE Maps and the SABRE Wiki.

I can tell you with a 30 second look at Maps that the A2 went via the green route in 1922, so it has to be from before that date.

Yes me too, I can tell you that it went by the green route in 1840 too. What I want to know is when it changed?

[Steven]

There's SABRE...

Or more specifically, SABRE Maps and the SABRE Wiki.

I can tell you with a 30 second look at Maps that the A2 went via the green route in 1922, so it has to be from before that date.

Yes me too, I can tell you that it went by the green route in 1840 too. What I want to know is when it changed?

We do have a number of pages on when changes happened, for example, Network changes - 19th century, although this specific stretch isn't (yet) mentioned.

However, Watling Street implies with the source of Margary's work that the Roman Watling Street always followed the green route.

[Lonewolf]

We do have a number of pages on when changes happened, for example, Network changes - 19th century, although this specific stretch isn't (yet) mentioned.

However, Watling Street implies with the source of Margary's work that the Roman Watling Street always followed the green route.

Aye, I've already had a look at those and I agree with you on Margary but OS doesn't. They are marking the northern route as Watling St. Also the name of that road is Old Road which implies that something newer was built at some point?

[Ross Spur]

This article gives some pointers, though not the exact date of the new Dover Road:

https://arena.yourlondonlibrary.net/web ... ry-article

The new road avoided the steep hill and narrow High Street in Turnpike times. Perhaps this area was marshy in Roman times?

[Lonewolf]

This article gives some pointers, though not the exact date of the new Dover Road:

https://arena.yourlondonlibrary.net/web ... ry-article

The new road avoided the steep hill and narrow High Street in Turnpike times. Perhaps this area was marshy in Roman times?

Brilliant! Thats the titbit of information I was after. 1738. As to why the romans went over the hill, I'm going with the marsh. Its plausible enough.

[solocle]

This article gives some pointers, though not the exact date of the new Dover Road:

https://arena.yourlondonlibrary.net/web ... ry-article

The new road avoided the steep hill and narrow High Street in Turnpike times. Perhaps this area was marshy in Roman times?

Brilliant! Thats the titbit of information I was after. 1738. As to why the romans went over the hill, I'm going with the marsh. Its plausible enough.

Hmm, interesting, when I did that section I actually thought straight ahead would be Watling St, for obvious reasons!