A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE 



straight course to Corney Bury in Wyddial parish, where the course deviates 

 to an almost due north direction and passes in a straight line through 

 Buckland on to Flint Hall in Royston parish, where it again deflects to the 

 north-west. From Corney Bury to Royston it forms parish boundaries 

 nearly all the way. It passes through the town of Royston, in the middle 

 of which it is crossed by Icknield Way and so passes out of the county on to 

 Lincoln and northward. 



Icknield Way, though probably of British origin and having few 

 characteristics of a Roman road, yet in places evidently formed a part of 

 the Roman system of communication. It passes from Akeman Street in 

 Drayton Beauchamp parish and enters the county at Tring, which it leaves 

 about 2 miles on its way to Dunstable, where it crosses Watling Street. It 

 enters the county again at Lilley and passes thence through Offley to 

 Hitchin and on to Baldock, where it crosses Stane Street, then on to 

 Royston, forming the county boundary for a part of its course. East and 

 west of Royston it runs in a straight line. It crosses Ermine Street at 

 Royston and so eastward into Cambridgeshire. 



There are other roads in the county which have been attributed to the 

 Roman period, such as Ashwell Street, running some 8 miles on the north 

 side and approximately parallel to Icknield Way, which from its straight- 

 ness has the appearance of being Roman, but does not lead from or to any 

 known Roman site. The road from Baldock to Graveley and Todds 

 Green and from thence to Stevenage and southward has been considered 

 Roman. It runs in a straight line and forms a parish boundary for part of 

 its course. South of Stevenage are the six well-known tumuli beside it 

 called the Six Hills. A Roman road has been suggested from Braughing 

 in a north-easterly direction to Great Chesterford from the evidence of 

 pieces of straight road, burials beside the road at Braughing, and parish 

 boundaries/ Besides these there are numerous old roads which bear the 

 name of Street, such as Hare Street in Braughing, Silver Street, Theme 

 Street, Sapwick Street, Hay Street and many others, but beyond their 

 names there is no reason to assign them to the Roman period. 



' Codrington, Roman Roads in Britain, i 34. 



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