Watling Street

Watling Street , important ancient road in England, built by the Romans in the course of their military occupation. It ran from London generally north to the intersection with the Fosse Way, c.13 mi (21 km) SW of Leicester, and thence in a westerly direction to Wroxeter in Salop, SE of Shrewsbury, a distance of more than 100 mi (161 km). The principal town through which it passed was Saint Albans (ancient Verulamium). Its later importance arose from its use as a thoroughfare throughout the Middle Ages and into modern times. In places the ancient Roman road is still in daily use, and in others it has been used as a base for modern thoroughfares. Some other Roman roads in England are also called Watling Street, notably the extension which led from London to Dover.

Watling Street is the later name for the major Roman road from Dover through Canterbury to London and thence via Verulamium to Wroxeter (later the basis for Telford's Holyhead road, the A5). The Anglo‐Saxon name Wæcelinga Stræt, meant ‘the street of the people of Wæcel’.