Viggen Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 The Romans were a methodical people, not given to acts of folly - so why did they apparently build a road to nowhere? Known as the Peddars Way, it is a typically straight track marching from near Thetford directly through the heart of west Norfolk until it peters out at an isolated coastal spot at Holme, and is now favoured by walkers and cyclists. But just what its original purpose was when it was built around 2,000 years ago is a question that has long perplexed historians. full article at New.Edp24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pertinax Posted June 26, 2006 Report Share Posted June 26, 2006 (edited) Two observations, sea level /coastline change has been very great in this area , many coastal installations have been lost to silting and erosion-Brancaster was a major Roman seaport base in this area in the late occupation period.In this area the Classis Brittania would have been active and patrolling in river craft, if waterborne transport was available the Roman's would use it for any logistical operation, so a land/water link is quite logical and feasible. Edited June 26, 2006 by Pertinax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Neil Posted July 1, 2006 Report Share Posted July 1, 2006 A similar but far lesser known road exists in the Morecambe bay area. A road travels north from Kirkham towards the modern Town of Fleetwood, then just fizzles out - with no known Roman installation near the end (I think Pertinax makes reference tio this on another thread). One can only assume that its destination now lies under the sands of Morecambe bay or the Wyre estuary. But East Anglia in particular is known for shifting coastlines - I believe that further down the coast near Felixstowe ther used to be a fort of Saxon Shore type, but this went over the cliffs about 300 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pertinax Posted July 1, 2006 Report Share Posted July 1, 2006 (edited) A similar but far lesser known road exists in the Morecambe bay area. A road travels north from Kirkham towards the modern Town of Fleetwood, then just fizzles out - with no known Roman installation near the end (I think Pertinax makes reference tio this on another thread). One can only assume that its destination now lies under the sands of Morecambe bay or the Wyre estuary. But East Anglia in particular is known for shifting coastlines - I believe that further down the coast near Felixstowe ther used to be a fort of Saxon Shore type, but this went over the cliffs about 300 years ago. This is the reason for the "conjectured" port at Fleetwood, ( given the development at Walton Le Dale) but as the town is whollly Victorian some commentators have suggested Flavian installations on your home patch as the logical "fixed points" on a strategic road/waterborne network. Edited July 1, 2006 by Pertinax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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