Roman roads in Britain

Roman roads in Britain are highways, mainly designed for military use, created by the Roman Army during the nearly four centuries (43 – 410 AD) that Britain was a province of the Roman Empire. It is estimated that the Romans constructed and maintained about 2,000 mi (3,200 km) of paved trunk roads (i.e. surfaced highways) throughout the province, although most of the known network was complete by AD 180. The primary function of the network was to allow rapid movement of troops and military supplies, but it also provided vital infrastructure for commerce, trade and the transportation of goods.

A considerable number of Roman roads remained in daily use as core trunk roads for centuries after the Romans withdrew from Britain in AD 410. Some routes are now part of the UK's national road network in modern times. (See: Great Britain road numbering scheme#Ancient roads). Others have been lost or are of archeological and historical interest only.

After the Romans departed, systematic construction of paved highways in the UK did not resume until the early 18th century. The Roman road network remained the only nationally-managed highway system within Britain until the establishment of the Ministry of Transport in the early 20th century.

Prior to the Roman conquest of Britain, pre-Roman Britons mostly used unpaved trackways for travel. These routes, many of which had prehistoric origins, followed elevated ridge lines across hills, e.g. South Downs Way. Although most routes were unpaved tracks, some British tribes had begun engineering roads during the first century BC.

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