Watling Street

Watling Street
A map of the Saxon Watling Street overlaid on the Roman road network
Route information
Length:	276 mi (444 km) [230 mi (370 km) Rutupiae to Viroconium
Time period:	Roman Britain Saxon Britain
Major junctions
From:	The Kentish ports
	Canterbury, London, St Albans
To:	Wroxeter

Coordinates: 52°39′22.5″N 1°55′37.7″W / 52.656250°N 1.927139°W / 52.656250; -1.927139

Watling Street is the name given to an ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Britons mainly between the areas of modern Canterbury and St Albans using a natural ford near Westminster. The Romans later paved the route, which then connected the Kentish ports of Dubris (Dover), Rutupiae (Richborough), Lemanis (Lympne), and Regulbium (Reculver) to their bridge over the Thames at Londinium (London). The continuation northwest passed Verulamium (St Albans) on its way to Viroconium (Wroxeter). The Romans considered the continuation on to Blatobulgium (Birrens) beyond Hadrian's Wall to be part of the same route, leading some scholars to call this Watling Street as well, although others restrict it to the southern leg. Watling Street was the site of Boudica's defeat by the Romans and the southwestern border of the Danelaw. In the early 19th century, the course between London and the sea was paved and became known as the Great Dover Road. Today, the route from Dover to London forms part of the A2 road and the route from London to Wroxeter forms much of the A5 road.