‘Amazing’ 2,000-year-old Roman road discovered in Southwark

A section of one of Britain’s most important Roman roads has been unearthed in Southwark.

Known as Roman Watling Street, the 2,000-year-old road ran from the Roman port at Dover through London to the West Midlands, connecting Britain with the wider Roman world.

The preserved road was discovered beneath the Old Kent Road during excavation works being carried out by the local authority and Veolia as part of the expansion of the borough’s low carbon heat network. 

Identified by a team of archaeologists from the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA), working on behalf of Veolia, it is the first physical proof that sections of the route survive directly beneath its modern counterpart.

Dave Taylor, MOLA project manager, said: “It’s amazing this section of road has survived for almost 2,000 years. 

“There has been so much activity here over the past few hundred years, from sewers to power cables, tramlines and of course the building of the modern road, so we’re really excited to find such a substantial chunk of Roman material remaining.”

Roman roads are characteristically straight, so archaeologists had a good idea of where it should be. But, until now, evidence had proved very difficult to find in confirming Roman Watling Street’s exact route. 

Southwark council’s in-house archaeology officer, Dr Chris Constable said: “I’m pleased this project has answered our questions over the course of the Roman road south of the Cantium Retail Park where a section was excavated in the early 1990s, south of the line of the modern road. 

“In the planning for this project, we’d expected to solve this question but the extent of survival of the road is remarkable. We hope this project will answer some other archaeological questions in the borough.”

Watling Street was built shortly after the Roman invasion of Britain in 43 AD. The uncovered section was well preserved and measures 5.8 metres wide by 1.4 metres high. 

Images from the site show distinct layers, which tell the story of the road’s construction. It has a solid foundation of compacted gravel sealed by two layers of chalk. This was topped with another layer of compacted sand and gravel. 

According to MOLA, the original surface of the road would likely have been made from the same material and sat at a similar level to the modern road, but had become lost. The base of the modern road rests directly on the Roman fabric.

Cllr Helen Dennis, cabinet member for new homes and sustainable development, said: “Old Kent Road is one of London’s oldest thoroughfares that embodies much of what makes today’s London special: diversity and community spirit. It’s extraordinary to literally be peeling back the layers of Old Kent Road’s history as we work towards a greener future.”

The discovery will be marked by a sign on the nearby Old Kent Road bridge.

Find out more about the renewal of Old Kent Road at www.oldkentroad.org.uk

Pictured top: Images from the site show distinct layers, which tell the story of the Roman road’s construction (Picture: Veolia)