Roman BritainRoman Ridge, Roman road, NW of Doncaster
Roman Site · Civilian

Roman Ridge, Roman road, NW of Doncaster

Roman Britain
Pleiades ID: nhle-1918
Site type
Site
Category
Civilian
Latitude
53.5499
Longitude
-1.1881
Overview

History & context

Roman Ridge is the modern name for a well-preserved stretch of the Roman road running north-west from Danum (Doncaster) towards Castleford (Lagentium) and ultimately York (Eboracum), forming part of the principal arterial route up the eastern side of northern Britain. Constructed in the later 1st century AD, probably in the Flavian period as part of the consolidation of the territory of the Brigantes following Cerialis's and Agricola's campaigns, it remained in use throughout the Roman occupation and in places into the medieval period.

Source: Pleiades — A Community-Built Gazetteer and Graph of Ancient Places. View the Pleiades record →

Significance

Historical significance

The road was a strategic military and economic artery linking the fort and small town at Doncaster with the legionary base at York and the road network of Brigantia, carrying troops, supplies and trade between the Humber crossings and the Pennine frontier zone. Its survival as a visible earthwork agger over substantial distances makes it one of the more legible Roman roads in South Yorkshire.

Archaeology

Archaeological record

The road survives in places as a prominent cambered agger up to c. 8–9 m wide flanked by side ditches, traceable on the ground and from the air through Adwick-le-Street, Skellow and beyond; antiquarian and 20th-century observations (notably by Margary, who classified it within his route 28b) recorded its construction of locally quarried stone and gravel metalling. No major settlement excavation is specifically associated with the "Roman Ridge" designation itself, though roadside features and finds (coins, p

About this site

Questions & answers

What is Roman Ridge, Roman road, NW of Doncaster?

Roman Ridge is the modern name for a well-preserved stretch of the Roman road running north-west from Danum (Doncaster) towards Castleford (Lagentium) and ultimately York (Eboracum), forming part of the principal arterial route up the eastern side of northern Britain. It is recorded in the Pleiades gazetteer of ancient places as a site site from the Roman period in Britain.

What type of Roman site is Roman Ridge, Roman road, NW of Doncaster?

Roman Ridge, Roman road, NW of Doncaster is classified as a Roman site — a civilian site in the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer. Roman Britain's archaeology encompasses thousands of sites ranging from legionary fortresses and marching camps to villas, temples and towns.

What other Roman sites are near Roman Ridge, Roman road, NW of Doncaster?

Several Roman sites lie within a short distance, including Danum? (4.4 km), Romano-British enclosure and earthworks in Pot Ridings Wood (5.5 km), Icehouse 720m south east of Bath House Farm (5.7 km). Aubrey Research maps over 2,200 Roman sites across Britain, drawn from the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer.

How can I research the history of the area around Roman Ridge, Roman road, NW of Doncaster?

Aubrey Research generates detailed historical reports for any location in Britain, incorporating Roman heritage, Domesday Book records, scheduled monument data, archaeological finds and much more. Enter a nearby address to begin.

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