^2 HIGHWAYS AND HORSES. 



But in Speaking of ancient highways, EngHshmen, 

 in consequence of the Roman occupation of Britain, 

 should be most interested in those constructed by the 

 Romans during their stay in this country. Doing 

 everything well, they were remarkably skilful in the 

 construction of their roads ; in Italy there are fourteen 

 thousand miles of Roman roads. The Romans, when 

 they made a road, excavated all the loose earth until a 

 solid foundation was reached ; if this was not obtain- 

 able, they filled in with hard or solid substances, 

 frequently driving piles into the ground beneath the 

 foundation of the road, then filling in with rubble, 

 cement, broken stone, bricks and pottery, on the top 

 of which blocks of stone were laid, interlocked like a 

 stone-paved street ; the width of these roads was never 

 very great, being thirteen to fifteen, and sometimes as 

 narrow as eiq-ht to eleven feet wide. There were 

 raised footpaths on either side, which clearly indicates 

 the desire for comfort and convenience, which at all 

 times prevailed amongst the Romans, even when living 

 as exiles in a foreign land. 



The roads constructed by the Romans during 

 their occupation of England were Watling Street, 

 Ermine Street, Foss-way, Ikonild Street. Watling 

 Street began at Richborough in Kent, passed through 

 London in a N.W. direction, and extended as far as 

 Chester; Ermine Street commenced at London, and 

 passing through Lincoln was carried through Carlisle 

 and thence into Scotland ; the Foss-way branched 

 off in a S.W, direction from Ermine Street to Bath, 

 and Ikonild Street extended from Norwich in a S.W. 

 direction to Dorsetshire. From each of these roads 

 branches extended. 



There is a Roman road from Winchester to Salis- 



