175:, allowing for coastal erosion since Roman times, to have been more suitable as the destination port and called it the London to Brighton Way. Work in the mid 20th century established the route from London to Hassocks, but south of this there was still uncertainty. A paper published in 1999 by Glen Shields on the topography of the Hassocks and Clayton area concludes that the road took a more westerly route over Clayton Hill than proposed by Margary, and that a traceable route to Portslade would have been more practical and more in keeping with Roman practice elsewhere than going along the valley bottom to Brighton.
22:
460:
468:
mistaken for Roman work, and disturbance from the building of the railway cutting and the tunnel with its many air shafts have further confused the issue. More recent research by Glen
Shields suggests that the road followed a more westerly route, now known as the Nore Track, which uses another pass on the west side of a small hill called the Nore. This track, now a bridleway, reaches the summit at 155 metres (509 ft), then gently descends to
234:
409:
This longest alignment, at 28 kilometres (17 mi), follows a mostly straight course across the Weald, with minor diversions to avoid steep or wet ground. It was sighted between
Selsfield Common and Clayton Hill. The line north of this to Green Wood was adjusted 11 degrees to the east to avoid wet
441:
and was found by
Margary near Harlands Farm. Geophysical survey and trenching in 1998–9 to the SW of the town found evidence of a sandstone metalled road on a line consistent with Margary's proposed alignment of the Roman road, about 50m west of the route marked by the Ordnance Survey. Going through
374:
was found at the northern end, while on the terrace it was 25 ft wide and well metalled with flint to a maximum depth of 12 in. As is often the case with Roman roads a parish boundary follows the line. The Roman line joins the lower part of
Tillingdown Lane, then the B2030 road and A22 Caterham
183:
Margary concluded that four main alignments were used for the road as far as the South Downs, with local diversions from them to ease gradients and avoid wet ground. From London these were (1) Streatham to
Croydon, (2) Godstone Hill to Blindley Heath, (3) Rowlands Farm, Lingfield, to Hophurst Farm,
476:
The route from
Pyecombe to the coast is not known. Margary concluded, without any evidence, that Brighton Old Steine might have been a better place for a port than Portslade, and that therefore the road would have gone down the valley to Brighton. This would have followed a valley bottom prone to
391:
and then as
Tilburstow Hill road, in a series of straight alignments adapted to the terrain. Roman burial urns were found beside the road at Tilburstow Hill Common. Between Tilburstow Hill and Blindley Heath Margary noted large hedgebanks set back on either side of the modern lane, indicating the
144:
are clues to the road's existence; Streatham in London, and near
Godstone, Stanstreet (now renamed Stanstead) and Stratton are indicative of a paved road already in existence when the settlements were founded. There was some traditional memory of a Roman road at Caterham, Croydon and Ardingly. In
467:
Various sections of apparently Roman road found around
Hassocks have caused long-standing confusion about the course of the road over the South Downs escarpment. Building and upgrading of turnpike roads over Clayton Hill in the 18th and 19th centuries have left abandoned roads which have been
450:
Between
Burgess Hill and Hassocks very little has been found. This is the section that Vine observed being stripped of its stone in 1779 to build a turnpike road. At the crossroads with the Sussex Greensand Way at Hassocks there is a large Roman cemetery in the south west corner.
396:
the A22 road rejoins the Roman line through the village before the Roman road turns south east through Shawland's Wood, then across open fields to cross the B2028 road, south of which it is seen as a hedgeline and is a parish boundary. This modified alignment then crosses the
365:
South of Croydon the road passed through the Caterham Gap in the North Downs; this natural corridor has been heavily developed with modern roads and railways, along with suburban housing, obliterating much of the ancient road. The road can, however, be found east of
346:) would have been extremely marshy, and that it would have been more logical for the Roman engineers to have followed the higher and dryer ground, and straighter alignment, of the easterly High Street route. This route would also have avoided a steep climb up to
446:
it passes the west side of the parish church, where its course is marked by brass plaques set into the modern road surface. Freek's Lane north of the town follows the Roman road for a distance south of Lowlands Farm and again briefly north of it.
472:
as a broad and well-constructed terraceway along the west side of Wish Bottom. North of the village it is joined by the disused turnpike road which has crossed the valley from Clayton Hill; it then continues as the village street.
277:, where the modern road wanders from the Roman line, the intact road, 32 feet wide, was excavated in 1961 and remnants of a metalled ford across the stream were found further south at Hermitage Bridge on the
350:. There has been considerably more archaeological evidence for Roman activity around the line of the High Street route than around that of the Old Town route, but no clear evidence for the road.
410:
ground. This alignment change occurs on the ridge near Hophurst Farm, on an ancient east–west track along the sandstone ridge. 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi) south of this the road crosses the
335:, which bypasses Croydon to the west, is named Roman Way in acknowledgement of this theory. A little further south, the road may have followed the line of Duppas Hill Terrace and Violet Lane.
308:, at Broad Green Avenue, a slight alignment change took the Roman road west of London Road along Handcroft Road, part of Gardeners Road and Pitlake. Before the area was built over
320:(1814), saying that the line "took its course by Old Croydon and the West side of Broad Green where it is still visible". Further possible support to the theory is given by a
401:
and turns south-west onto the modified north section of a long and largely straight alignment to Clayton. This eastward shift of the alignment avoided wet low-lying ground.
167:
looked at these findings and surmised that this was part of a road to a port in the Portslade area. This led to the surmised route being named the London to Portslade Way.
810:
959:
642:
370:
where the road curves around the west side of Tillingdown on a terraceway, marking the boundary between developed and undeveloped land. A distinct metalled
893:
328:", also named as "Andrew ate Causie", both forms of his name meaning "of/at the causeway", a term which implies a well constructed road. The modern
757:
324:
of the late 1280s, by which a piece of property, described as lying on the east side of the king's highway in Old Town, was sold by one "Andrew
690:
952:
A map of the known Roman road network in south east England using the Margary numbering system by Keith Briggs. (London to Clayton number 150)
293:
is debated. There are two main possibilities: that it followed the line of the modern (late-medieval/post-medieval) high road (London Road –
398:
481:, would have prevented building along the valley sides. Alternatively the route may have turned south west on the track which is now the
842:
269:
on London Road nearer to Croydon. Streatham takes its name from the Roman road and Brixton Hill was formerly named Brixton Causeway,
422:
and goes over the high ground at Selsfield Common before crossing the B2028 road, then running parallel and to the west of it to
817:
477:
seasonal flooding, which the Romans normally avoided, preferring to use higher ground. Steep side valleys, locally called
430:
and the agricultural showground before deviating to the west of the alignment to cross the valley where it is now under
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42:
729:
Davison, Jim; Potter, Geoff (1998). "Excavations at 14 Whitgift Street, Croydon, 1987–88 and 1995".
1008:
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313:
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South of junction 6 of the M25 motorway the Roman road has remained in use as the B2235 through
499:
297:– High Street – South End – Brighton Road); or that it followed a more westerly course through
146:
951:
201:
208:
and sometimes as a solid mass. In other parts of the Weald local sandstone alone was used.
106:
102:
748:
Taylor, Christopher J. W. (Spring 2022). "Roman Croydon: updated gazetteer and new maps".
8:
262:
847:
Haywards Heath Historic Character Assessment Report p11 para.2.4.2. Retrieved 2009-05-08
120:
The road passed through some of the strategically important iron-producing areas of the
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A compromise argument would see the road following the Old Town route as far as
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157:. He published a report on the line from Clayton to north of Burgess Hill in
434:, regaining the line where it crosses a dismantled railway at River's Wood.
117:
the route is uncertain, and may have continued to Brighton or to Portslade.
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894:"The course of the London to Brighton Roman road south of Burgess Hill"
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110:
38:
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The line of the road through what is now the heavily built-up town of
233:
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329:
266:
205:
78:
58:
54:
915:
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overall width of the road, adapted as a medieval droveway. North of
338:
Against the Old Town theory is the fact that the area (lying in the
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423:
388:
375:
Bypass before becoming a lane east of the A22 as it approaches the
367:
270:
246:
141:
114:
94:
82:
74:
66:
50:
714:
Shaw, Muriel (September 1988). "Roman Period Burials in Croydon".
579:"Traces of a Roman military way through Sussex, Surrey, and Kent"
290:
274:
273:
being a term often used for old Roman roads. At Hepworth Road at
62:
204:
used extensively for the middle sections, sometimes mixed with
192:
were used through the North Downs and from Burgess Hill to the
189:
304:
Margary argued for the Old Town route, stating that south of
185:
150:
121:
357:, but then cutting across the Wandle valley to Riddlesdown.
321:
197:
125:
418:
at Burleigh House Farm. It crosses the B2110 road east of
658:
Discussed in detail in Maggs and De'Athe 1987, pp. 40–44.
485:, heading towards the River Adur in the Portslade area.
463:
Part of the Nore Track on Wolstonbury Hill above Clayton
565:
Cleere, Henry Roman Sussex–The Weald Figure 32 and p.61
687:
The Archbishops' Town: the making of medieval Croydon
128:
in those areas, although to a lesser extent than the
109:
at a large Roman cemetery. It climbs the South Downs
249:
for several miles through south London, followed by
671:
The History and Antiquities of the County of Surrey
863:The Roman Roads of East Surrey and the Kent Border
184:Felbridge, (4) Selsfield Common to Clayton Hill.
990:
860:
758:Croydon Natural History & Scientific Society
318:History and Antiquities of the County of Surrey
241:The road branched from Stane Street at or near
81:, then follows an almost straight line through
691:Croydon Natural History and Scientific Society
728:
674:. Vol. 3. London: J. White. p. 381.
379:where the intersection is on the Roman line.
25:The road south of Godstone at Tilburstow Hill
237:Brixton Road, London, lies on the Roman road
153:being taken from an ancient road to build a
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841:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
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245:and has become the line of the modern
668:Manning, Owen; Bray, William (1814).
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265:and London Road, Streatham, then the
124:and was partly constructed from iron
57:) in Sussex. The road passes through
716:CNHSS Archaeology Section Newsletter
713:
576:
437:It goes through the western edge of
693:. p. 265 and notes 88, 218–9.
13:
861:Maggs, Ken; De'Athe, Paul (1987).
220:150 in his identification system.
14:
1025:
945:
902:Sussex Archaeological Collections
770:Maggs and De'Athe 1987, pp. 41–4.
211:
865:. Westerham: North Downs Press.
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789:. Middleton Press. p. 27.
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216:Ivan Margary gave the road the
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16:Roman road in southern England
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105:. At Hassocks it crosses the
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10:
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316:noted this route in their
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163:in 1781. In 1818 Reverend
149:, Stephen Vine, witnessed
605:"Roman Remains in Sussex"
145:1779 a schoolmaster from
223:
160:The Gentleman's Magazine
140:A number of Anglo-Saxon
875:Roman Ways in the Weald
685:Harris, Oliver (2005).
645:7 December 2009 at the
539:Roman Ways in the Weald
179:Design and construction
35:London to Portslade Way
999:Roman roads in England
924:Vincent, Alex (2000).
892:Shields, Glen (1999).
783:Vincent, Alex (2000).
649:. Retrieved 2009-05-10
577:Vine, Stephen (1781).
567:. Retrieved 2009-05-08
500:Roman roads in Britain
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326:de Calceto in Croyndon
238:
53:(or more specifically
31:London to Brighton Way
26:
927:Roman Roads of Sussex
786:Roman Roads of Sussex
462:
383:Godstone to Felbridge
236:
229:Kennington to Croydon
202:Wealden iron industry
136:Discovery of the road
24:
1014:Roads in West Sussex
975:51.14624°N 0.04721°W
731:London Archaeologist
640:History of Streatham
609:Gentleman's Magazine
583:Gentleman's Magazine
455:Clayton to the coast
405:Felbridge to Clayton
107:Sussex Greensand Way
73:. It passes through
971: /
930:. Middleton Press.
414:, then crosses the
361:Croydon to Godstone
263:Streatham High Road
130:London to Lewes Way
65:, then through the
980:51.14624; -0.04721
465:
432:Ardingly Reservoir
416:Sussex Border Path
239:
171:believed Brighton
69:Valley gap in the
33:, also called the
27:
877:. Phoenix House.
541:. Phoenix House.
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344:River Wandle
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314:William Bray
310:Owen Manning
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255:Brixton Hill
251:Brixton Road
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169:Ivan Margary
158:
139:
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91:Burgess Hill
43:Stane Street
34:
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978: /
689:. Croydon:
355:Duppas Hill
348:Riddlesdown
194:South Downs
142:place names
99:South Downs
71:North Downs
993:Categories
963:51°08′46″N
737:: 227–232.
718:(71): 2–6.
506:References
399:Eden Brook
340:headwaters
322:title deed
173:Old Steine
111:escarpment
39:Roman road
966:0°02′50″W
909:: 81–90.
615:(2): 107.
412:Worth Way
295:North End
267:A235 road
206:sandstone
200:from the
147:Lindfield
79:Felbridge
59:Streatham
55:Portslade
873:(1968).
837:cite web
760:: 56–75.
643:Archived
603:(1818).
589:: 306–7.
537:(1968).
489:See also
470:Pyecombe
442:central
424:Ardingly
389:Godstone
368:Caterham
299:Old Town
271:causeway
247:A23 road
115:Pyecombe
95:Hassocks
83:Ardingly
75:Godstone
67:Caterham
51:Brighton
41:between
479:coombes
342:of the
291:Croydon
285:Croydon
275:Norbury
196:, with
103:Clayton
97:to the
63:Croydon
37:, is a
934:
881:
827:1 July
793:
697:
545:
190:gravel
897:(PDF)
821:(PDF)
814:(PDF)
372:agger
224:Route
186:Flint
151:flint
122:Weald
932:ISBN
879:ISBN
843:link
829:2009
791:ISBN
695:ISBN
543:ISBN
330:A236
312:and
198:slag
188:and
126:slag
93:and
77:and
61:and
49:and
29:The
911:doi
907:137
754:173
101:at
45:at
995::
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839:}}
835:{{
775:^
756:.
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613:88
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585:.
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557:^
514:^
301:.
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
