Fosse Way

The Fosse Way is a major Roman road built after the invasion of Britain in 43 AD, running approximately 230 miles from Exeter in the southwest to Lincoln in the northeast via Bath, Cirencester, and Leicester. Its name derives from the Latin 'fossa' meaning ditch, as it effectively marked the western frontier of early Roman Britain, punctuated by military stations. The route is remarkably straight, never deviating more than 6 miles from a direct line over 182 miles. Much of it survives today as modern roads including the A429 and A46, with sections preserving original Roman engineering.