Roman road revealed

A section of one of Britain’s most important Roman roads has been unearthed under Old Kent Road.

A fascinating piece of Old Kent Road’s Roman past has been discovered during roadworks to install pipes for a low-carbon heat network.

The road, known as Roman Watling Street, was built shortly after the Roman invasion of Britain in AD 43 and ran from Dover (Dubris) through London (Londinium) to the West Midlands, connecting Britain with the wider Roman world.

Roman roads are characteristically straight, so archaeologists had a good idea of where it should be. Yet, until now, archaeological evidence to confirm Watling Street’s exact route had been hard to find.

The road was identified by a team of archaeologists from the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA), with advice and support from Southwark council’s in-house archaeology officer Dr Chris Constable.

What they found was very well preserved and provides the first physical proof that sections of the 2000-year-old route survive directly beneath its modern counterpart.

The section of Roman road uncovered is 5.8 metres wide by 1.4 metres high and distinct layers can be seen, 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. The original surface of the road would likely have been made from the same material and would have sat at a similar level to the modern road (however this has been lost). The base of the modern road rests directly on the Roman fabric.

The Roman remains were unearthed during early work to bring low carbon heating to another 3,000 homes in the area, which could help to slash the borough’s carbon footprint by a further 11,100 tonnes of carbon, annually.

The discovery will be marked by a sign on the nearby Old Kent Road railway bridge, which is currently undergoing its own transformation including repairs and a colourful new mural.

Watch the BBC report

Dr Chris Constable, Borough Archaeologist 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.”

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: the diversity, the hubbub, 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 by expanding Southwark’s low carbon heat network.

I’m excited Southwark is paving the way for future generations by tackling the climate emergency head on. This project to expand the low carbon heat network is absolutely vital to us reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and embracing cleaner, more efficient energy resources. The new insulated pipes also gets us closer to ensuring affordable and reliable heating for the 3,000 additional council homes being connected to the network around Old Kent Road.”

Find out more on the council website