Via Devana is the name given to a

Roman Road Roman roads ( la, viae Romanae ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, and were built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman R ...

in England that ran from

Colchester Colchester ( ) is a city in Essex, in the East of England. It had a population of 122,000 in 2011. The demonym is Colcestrian. Colchester occupies the site of Camulodunum, the first major city in Roman Britain and its first capital. Colc ...

in the south-east, through

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge beca ...

in the interior, and on to

Chester Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...

in the north-west. These were important Roman military centres and it is conjectured that the main reason the road was constructed was military rather than civilian. The Latin name for Chester is '' Deva'' and 'Via Devana' is thus 'The Chester Road'. Colchester was ''Colonia Victricensis'', 'the City of Victory', and lays claim to be the oldest Roman city in Britain. The Via Devana had little civilian rationale and the road eventually fell into disuse as it was not possible to maintain extensive public works following withdrawal of the last

Roman legion The Roman legion ( la, legiō, ) was the largest military unit of the Roman army, composed of 5,200 infantry and 300 equites (cavalry) in the period of the Roman Republic (509 BC–27 BC) and of 5,600 infantry and 200 auxilia in the period of t ...

from

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

in 407. As a result, its route is difficult to find today, especially in its more northern reaches. It is omitted from some historians' maps for this reason but most nowadays accept its existence. The undocumented name ''Via Devana'' was coined by Charles Mason, D.D., of

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge or Oxford. ...

, who was also rector of

Orwell, Cambridgeshire Orwell is a rural village outside Cambridge in South Cambridgeshire, England. The Prime Meridian passes the eastern edge of Orwell. History The village of Orwell grew around the well that gave it its name and the Roman road that runs to Camb ...

, and Woodwardian Professor of Fossils at

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

from 1734. During his life, Mason compiled a complete map of Cambridgeshire which was later published in 1808, long after his death.

Route

Its route ran north and west as follows: *

- ''Colonia Victricensis'' * Wixoe (conjectured) - (possible fort) *

- (Latin name: ''Cantabrigia''. Roman Name: ''Durolipons'' or '' Duroliponte''), now the main road through Cambridge from the station to Madgalene Bridge *

Huntingdon Huntingdon is a market town in the Huntingdonshire district in Cambridgeshire, England. The town was given its town charter by King John in 1205. It was the county town of the historic county of Huntingdonshire. Oliver Cromwell was born there ...

Godmanchester Godmanchester ( ) is a town and civil parish in the Huntingdonshire district of Cambridgeshire, England. It is separated from Huntingdon, to the north, by the valley of the River Great Ouse. Being on the Roman road network, the town has a lo ...

(''Durolipus'' or ''Durovigutum'') where it crossed

Ermine Street Ermine Street is a major Roman road in England that ran from London (''Londinium'') to Lincoln ('' Lindum Colonia'') and York (''Eboracum''). The Old English name was ''Earninga Strǣt'' (1012), named after a tribe called the ''Earningas ...

* Corby * Medbourne - The stretch from Medbourne to Leicester is broken, but where it exists is nowadays known as the "Gartree Road" and "Evington Footway" * Leicester- (''

Ratae Corieltauvorum Ratae Corieltauvorum or simply Ratae was a town in the Roman province of Britannia. Today it is known as Leicester, located in the English county of Leicestershire. Name ''Ratae'' is a latinate form of the Brittonic word for "ramparts" ( ...

''), meeting

Fosse Way The Fosse Way was a Roman road built in Britain during the first and second centuries AD that linked Isca Dumnoniorum (Exeter) in the southwest and Lindum Colonia ( Lincoln) to the northeast, via Lindinis (Ilchester), Aquae Sulis (Bath), C ...

:There is speculation that finds in Moira indicates the Mason's route, reported in 1831, may have some factual basis. * Mancetter ('' Manduessedum'') where it joined

Watling Street Watling Street is a historic route in England that crosses the River Thames at London and which was used in Classical Antiquity, Late Antiquity, and throughout the Middle Ages. It was used by the ancient Britons and paved as one of the main ...

until * Water Eaton - (''

Pennocrucium Pennocrucium was a Romano-British settlement and military complex located at present day Water Eaton, just south of Penkridge, Staffordshire, with evidence of occupation from the mid-1st century until the 4th century. The settlement was mentio ...

'')Roman Britain Site: Pennocrucium
to * Newport, Shropshire - (''Plesc'' which meant fortified place or one with palisade) it is here that it followed the same route as the A41 towards * Whitchurch, Shropshire - (''Mediolan'' or ''Mediolanum'') *

References

External links

''Via Devana'' in Leicestershire
{{coord, 52.60023, N, 1.03529, W, type:landmark_region:GB_dim:90000, display=title Devana, Via Newport, Shropshire Archaeological sites in Essex Archaeological sites in Cheshire Archaeological sites in Shropshire

Route

See also

References

External links