A section of watling street still exists in the city of london. But watling street is not just the story of a route across our island. It was the on farmland to the southeast of the community in edgware road, that london. Watling street has subsequently been followed by the modern a2 and a5 roads. A journey along one of britains oldest roads, from dover to anglesey, in search of the hidden history that makes us who we are today. It was one of britains greatest arterial roads of the roman and postroman periods. Watling isnt a travel log or straight book about the history or watling street. On the london leg of his journey he meets southwarks resident. It is still in existence, and it passes through cities and cultural centers including canterbury, london, st. It is a road of witches and ghosts, of queens and highwaymen, of history and myth, of bletchley park. First recorded in the 12th century, it was destroyed by the great fire of london in 1666 and rebuilt to the designs of christopher wren. The book charts higgss journey along watling street, one of the oldest roads in britain, from dover to anglesey, during which journey he records the socalled hidden history of this ancient path from its first creation up to the present day. Elstree actually being in hertfordshire, close to the nw border with london. Below we present a selection of upcoming events, local attractions and great places to eat and shop.
Rather than a travelogue through britain it is what he terms a rummage through history during his travels along the ancient route of watling street that runs between dover and anglesey. Margaret mcgoverne author of the battle of watling street. They did so with a very english compromise between modernity and tradition. It is an acutely observed exploration of britain and who we are today, told. After the great fire, londoners faced the challenge of rebuilding their devastated city. The church stood on the north side of watling street, at the corner with old change. Moeml began in 1999 as a digital atlas of sixteenth and seventeenthcentury london based on the 1560s agas woodcut map of the city. A journey along one of britains oldest roads, from dover to anglesey, in search of the hidden history that makes us who. The is the first chapter of my new historical science fiction novella, set in 1st century romanoccupied britain. Watling street is an ancient route that was in use before the romans arrived.
It was the on farmland to the southeast of the community in edgware road, that london transport constructed a new road, watling avenue, and london county council built the watling estate housing estate. Albans verulamium to wroxeter ouirokonion, or viroconium. While its origins are far older than recorded history, it remains one of the. A romanobritish cemetery on watling street oxbow books.
Winding its way from the white cliffs of dover to the druid groves of anglesey, the ancient road of watling street has gone by many different names. The opening of bloombergs gargantuan new headquarters on queen victoria street has reinstated a lost roman road. Its now most closely associated with the tech startup scene and the socalled silicon roundabout, yet its. Higgs book describes his journey along the old roman road of watling street from dover to anglesey. Watling street is a new book by john higgs as the name suggests, it involves a journey along the old roman road that stretched between canterbury and wroxeter, and which was itself laid over a prehistoric trackway which may have gone all the way from dover to angelsea. Chapters follow the road up along the a2, the a5, and the m6 toll to pinpoint specific locations and match them with historical fact and anecdote. St augustine watling street project gutenberg self. The opening of bloombergs gargantuan new headquarters on queen victoria street has reinstated a. Watling street is not just the story of a route across our island, but an acutely observed. Watling street is a new book by john higgs as the name suggests, it involves a journey along the old roman road that stretched between canterbury and wroxeter, and which was itself laid over a prehistoric trackway which may have gone all the way from dover to angelsea that, at least, is the journey that our author takes. Londons missing roman road britains hidden history. You might know watling street as a shortcut in the heart of the city of london where crumpledlooking office workers dash on their way to somewhere. St augustine, watling street was an anglican church which stood just to the east of st pauls cathedral in the city of london. The old roman road has changed over time and this section of the web site celebrates a lost scene as it passed through north warwickshire with the villages either side into the borderlands of leicestershire.
As with johns other books it does this very well but ultimately achieves so much more. The map of early modern london comprises four distinct, interoperable projects. Watling street is a story about travelling along this particular road to discover the history of britain and discover more about its identity. Watling street a roman road through the heart of britain. Moeml now includes an encyclopedia of early modern london people and places, a library of mayoral shows and other texts rich in london toponyms, and a forthcoming versioned edition of. As the afternoon rolls into evening israeli chef shuli wimer joins farmer j in monument to give us the fancy. Old street, the road between clerkenwell and shoreditch, is something of a contradiction. Jul 14, 2017 rather than a travelogue through britain it is what he terms a rummage through history during his travels along the ancient route of watling street that runs between dover and anglesey. Watling street is a route defined by a roman road across great britain which is to this day marked by busy routes, principally the a5 from london to shropshire. Watling street, roman road in england that ran from dover westnorthwest to london and thence northwest via st. Travels through britain and its everpresent past by higgs. Along this route boudicca met her end, the battle of bosworth changed royal history, bletchley park code breakers cracked nazi transmissions and capability brown remodelled the english landscape.
One of my favourite books of all time is london orbital by ian sinclair. Extending from dover in the southeast to anglesey in north wales, watling street is a road with history at every turn and one which also provides a microcosm of life in england from the past to the present. In the saxon period most of it was, briefly, a major frontier between anglosaxon england and danelaw. Its a pop culture book that uses watling street and various stops along the route to put a. Watling street roman road, crick 1412692 historic england. However, anyone expecting a conventional travelogue will be disappointed. Read watling street travels through britain and its everpresent past by john higgs available from rakuten kobo. The battle of watling street reimagines the disappearance of the rebellious iceni queen boudicca, and introduces the resourceful celtic hero dedo, attendant to.
There are two principal routes named watling street, which may be taken as one road. Its a pop culture book that uses watling street and various stops along the route to put a perspective on britains present. Taking a ride on watling street british heritage travel. Travels through britain and its everpresent past on. Y ou might know watling street as a shortcut in the heart of the city of london where crumpledlooking office. Watling street by john higgs, 9781474603478, available at book. Watling street roman road, united kingdom britannica. Watling street podcast by john higgs podcast series 14 by. Bearing the hallmark of a roman road, much of its route is in straight lines. It is an acutely observed exploration of britain and who we are today, told with wit and an unerring eye for the curious and surprising.
The author describes the history of the road as, watling street is a road of witches and ghosts, of queens and highwaymen, of history and myth. Welcome to our guide for the area around watling street in city and county of the city of london. Watling street podcast by john higgs podcast series 14. It is a road of witches and ghosts, of queens and highwaymen, of history and myth, of bletchley park codebreakers, chaucer, boudicca, dickens and james bond. A section of watling street still exists in the city of london close to mansion house underground station on the route of the original roman road which traversed the river thames via the first london bridge and ran through the city in a straight line from london bridge to newgate. This intriguing book opens up new perspectives on the story in an account of how and why the new city of london was rebuilt as it was after 1666. Nov 27, 2017 walking roman watling street with iain sinclair, andrew kotting and anne carondelion from blackheath to westminster via deptford, new cross, north peckham, elephant and castle. Excavations in 1996 and 1997 at 165 great dover street, southwark uncovered important new evidence of burials and structures associated with a roman roadside cemetery to the southeast of the southwark. Watling street where higgs encounters alan moore, the revered comic book. Watling road city of london 54bc410 romans on books. Its now most closely associated with the tech startup scene and the so.
You might know watling street as a shortcut in the heart of the city of london where. From the coast at dover to london, it is the a2 sometimes called the great dover road. The authors rummage through history as he ventures up the ancient route. Once a meandering track, it was straightened by the romans, given its name in the dark ages watling was a local warlord, became a royal highway in the 12th century, and is now variously the a2, the a5 and the m6 toll watling street is a palimpsest. Watling street is a 4part psychogeographical podcast, uncovering littleknown corners of britains history and culture by travelling along this prehistoric road, one of the first lines on a map. Probably the most compelling piece of evidence for the existence of a straight watling street in south london is the old dover road, se3. It ran from london generally north to the intersection with the fosse way, c.
The road that led to 1,000 stories in his new book watling street, john higgs explores one of britains oldest roads and how it inspired countless stories, from the canterbury tales to great. Watling street is a road of witches and ghosts, of queens and highwaymen, of history and myth, of chaucer, dickens and james bond. This building was destroyed by bombing during the second world war, and its remains now form part of st pauls cathedral choir school. The london portion of watling street was rediscovered during christopher wren s rebuilding of stmarylebow in 167173, following the great fire of london. It is an all encompassing consideration of where weve come from and how this has shaped our current world. This mood of ecstatic recuperation is still going strong a hundred miles further up watling street where higgs encounters alan moore, the revered comic book author of v for vendetta and watchmen. Most of the frontier was on the watling street, but at stony stratford the boundary left watling street and followed the ouse so milton keynes, east of watling street, was an outpost of the english kingdom. Watling street ebook by john higgs 9781474603492 rakuten kobo. Watling street by john higgs before brexit financial times. Higgs unearths forgotten history, such as the southwark prostitutes known as the winchester geese who are buried in the.
Sep 10, 2014 the road did not, originally, go through london because there was no bridge. Featured texts all books all texts latest this just in smithsonian libraries fedlink us genealogy lincoln collection. After a brief prologue in milton keynes the book opens with a chapter on dover then moves on to anglesey with stopoffs in canterbury, london. Brexit is discussed perceptively and sympathetically both at the start and towards the end of watling street, by which time the country has acquired both. Watling street is considered to be one of the oldest streets in the city and originally a roman road running from dover through to chester. Escape the london winter without leaving the city by visiting a lively, warm. Watling street is the name given to an ancient trackway in england and wales that was later paved by the romans from london to dover. Where rails crossed the roadway and old towns, villages, mansions, pubs and farms once stood. Watling street, for all its hippydippy mysticism, is a book for our times. But this mischievous and iconoclastic book is far more interesting and ambitious than that. One of my favourite books of all time is london orbital by ian.
Watling street is one of the four ancient roads that cross england and date back to preroman times. Julius caesar had passed through during his invasion of 54 bc. In londons medieval cross bones burial site which the author visits on. Roomspace serviced apartments watling street this neighborhood is a great choice for travelers interested in restaurants, architecture and history check location 75 watling street, city of london, london, ec4m 9bj, united kingdom this neighborhood is a great choice for travelers interested in restaurants, architecture and history check location great location show map. The original appearance of the new, late 17thcentury london is recreated in some. Jul 14, 2017 brexit is discussed perceptively and sympathetically both at the start and towards the end of watling street, by which time the country has acquired both a new name, a new patron saint and a new. The flaneur by edmund white invisible cities by italo calvino london by peter. Watling street outside of london can easily be traced on ordnance survey maps, or by driving the route. Street where higgs encounters alan moore, the revered comic book author. Mar 12, 2017 watling road city of london 54bc410 romans watling street is the name given to an ancient trackway in england and wales that was later paved by the romans from london to dover. This is a mix of history, culture and politics as well as being a travel book. Rather the trip along watling street is a device allowing him to develop an extended meditation on memory and british history.
Watling street guide watling street, city, london ec4m. The nearest station to watling street is mansion house tube station which is about 1 minutes to the south. The london portion of watling street was rediscovered during christopher wrens rebuilding of st marylebow in 167173, following the great fire. St augustine, watling street was an anglican church which stood just to the east of st pauls cathedral 1 in the city of london. Modern excavations date its construction to the winter from ad 47 to 48. Jun 23, 2017 watling street is a story about travelling along this particular road to discover the history of britain and discover more about its identity. Two echoes of roman london have returned to the city. I was born near here and i have always assumed it to be roman but apparently it is not universally believed to be part of watling street. Modern chroniclers have attributed the origins of london to the romans.
Watling street is the later name given to one of the major roman roads which linked dover with wroxeter on the welsh borders via canterbury, london, st albans and towcester. Excavations at 165 dover street, southwark, london paperback. At the time, watling street was the key stagecoach route between london and holyhead for services to ireland, and the inn offered overnight accommodation. Nearest tube underground station to watling street, city.
Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. Watling street is a route in england that began as an ancient trackway first used by the britons, mainly between the areas of modern canterbury and st albans using a natural ford near westminster. Study the map and it is clear that the modernday watling street neatly divides into two convenient sections. In this book, author john higgs embarks on a journey down watling street a route. Travels through britain and its everpresent past is the fifth book by the british journalist, novelist and cultural historian john higgs. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. From london, the a5 follows watling street north to its original end in wroxeter, just outside shrewsbury.