A808

Route

Directional signpost to Roman Bath House on A808

The A808 is barely half a mile long. It runs east from Bearsden Cross and the traffic-light-controlled junction with the A809 as Roman Road. It passes a well preserved Roman Bath House dating from between 142 and 165 AD on the left, before becoming Roman Drive at the junction with the B8049, for the short distance to end opposite Hillfoot Station on the A81 Milngavie Road.

History

It appears that the name 'Roman Road' is not just the spurious invention of a Victorian developer. This road is part of the old Roman Road that serviced the forts along the Antonine Wall - the Military Way. The bath house mentioned above was part of one of these forts, with the wall itself running just a few yards further north. The Military Way appears to have kinked slightly to follow the B8049, albeit not quite on the current alignment which has been adjusted over the railway line. Indeed, this is the route originally taken by the A808, as Roman Drive appears to post-date 1922. It is likely that when it was completed, the A808 was moved, with the B8049 extended to fill the gap. To the west, the unclassified road opposite the A808 at Bearsden Cross would also seem to show the old Roman alignment.

The 1922 MOT Road List defines this route as: Link at Bearsden