The Roman Road from Wayford Bridge to Spixworth Bridge (Probable)

Margary Number: none

Distance: 8.5 miles

An obvious short-cut for traffic coming from Caistor St Edmund. It also would explain the route of Anchor Street approaching Wayford Bridge and why it did a big turn there. It was joining a road from Spixworth Bridge.

The route passes the Roman camp at Horstead but south-west of there then the clues are very limited. Coltishall to Wayford Bridge then the evidence is much stronger.

Historic Counties: Norfolk

Current Counties: Norfolk

HER: Norfolk

Lidar Flyover Video - Caistor St Edmund to Hickling Harbour

Oblique 3D Lidar Image - Caistor St Edmund to Hickling Harbour

This view shows how the section from Spixworth to Wayford Bridge fits into what would be a very practical route from Caistor St Eddmund to Hickling Harbour.

Lidar Image - Route from Spixworth to Wayford Bridge

Coltishall Bridge was obviously a critical crossing point of the River Bure and the route certainly targets it. The existence of the Roman camp at Horstead, presumably watching that crossing place, reinforces this must have been a strategic location.

Oblique 3D Lidar Image - Junction at Wayford Bridge

This was the view that convinced me there was a Roman road from Spixworth Bridge. It explains the route of the road from Brampton - that big turn it makes before Wayford Bridge is because it was joining a road from Spixworth.

Oblique 3D Lidar Image - Looking along the line of the road

Quite secure this stretch with several clues all the way to St James.

Dark Lane 1

Definitely an old road and one almost certainly 2000 years old! The road itself is now worn down to almost a hollow-way but the outsides are still built up - see below.

Image: DR

Dark Lane 2

I had driven past this feature many times and wondered - it looks like a Roman road. It all makes perfect sense now we now the Roman had a road to a harbour at Hickling. This is the agger of Dark Lane from the south side.

Image: DR

Aerial Photo - South-west of Dark Lane

Tramlines, ie the Roman road ditches, are often a great clue to Roman roads when the agger has been ploughed away. Only the ditches survive. They continue the alignment of Dark Lane and onto the modern lane to Crowgate Street. Quite a significant name that with two road references within it - gate and street.

Image: GoogleEarth

Oblique 3D Lidar Image - Coltishall St James

The target was obviously the crossing of the River Bure at Coltishall. The undulations here resulted in some adaptation to the line.

Agger - St James

After crossing a stream in St James the road agger shows in two fields in the Lidar image - see above. The first field is tree covered but the second is more open and the agger can be made out in this view. Note also the swell where the far fence passes over the agger. A very common feature of Roman roads.

Image: DR

Contour Map - Coltishall - Horstead

Coltishall has long been an important bridging point for the Bure and the nearby Roman camp shows it was a crucial crossing point for the Romans too. On the Horstead side of the bridge then the road runs on a built up causeway to the Recruiting Sergeant public house. This would be expected as this is low lying marshland.

Lidar Image - Horstead Roman Camp

The camp really only shows up on aerial photographs - just sections of the ditch around survive. There are some indications the road would have passed the camp's south-east corner. The modern road goes through the middle of the camp. This is currently the only known Roman camp in East Anglia. Clearly an important place.

Inside the Roman Camp

We are inside the Roman camp's northern half. Clearly evident is what an excellent site this was with clear views towards the River Bure to the north.

Image: DR

Roman Camp and probable course of the Roman Road

Still inside the camp - just - on its eastern side. The road likely came up a valley or cutting and then passed outside the camp.

Image: DR

Contour Map - Horstead to Spixworth Bridge

So far the clues to the road have been sufficient to work out the route but from here onwards then the evidence becomes very sketchy. The modern road appears to overlay the Roman route in several places. The route shown is therefore the likeliest course and fits well with the contours. Roman Road 3e, Brampton to Caistor, would have been joined just to the north of Spixworth Bridge. A sensible place for this junction as the routes would then share a single bridge. No need to build two.

Oblique 3D Lidar Image - Coltishall St James

Lidar view of the route described above.

Route Map 1

Wayford to Crowgate Street

Route Map 2

Crowgate Street to Coltishall

Route Map 3

Coltishall to Spixworth

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Last update: May2026

© David Ratledge