How the Romans built roads and drainage

Roads

The roads in the original high street in Londinium were made from a hard-packed gravel surface. Side roads and alleys were also laid with gravel. Larger roads had drains running along either side.

Above: Cross-section of a Roman road

Drainage

Drains by the side of roads were made from oak planks held in place by timber posts and covered with timber lids. The 1st century drains were narrow and were constantly being re-cut and cleaned out as they became blocked with silt and rubbish.

Evidence from the Poultry dig

The Poultry dig uncovered the remains of a substantial area of the street plan of Londinium. The main east-west road through the city, the via decumana, was uncovered and measured about 9m wide, wide enough for two carts to pass, with wooden box drains set in trenches on either side of the road. Smaller branch roads were about 4m wide, a single cart’s width, were also uncovered along with alleyways and side roads. The remains of a large number of drains were also excavated. The silt blocking these contained a variety of finds including kitchen refuse and lost coins.

Reconstructing High Street Londinium

• From a window in the merchant’s shop, a reconstructed view of the via decumana can be seen. Along it are walking off-duty soldiers, merchants and native Britons.

• Alleyways separate the buildings. One alley has a drain running along its edge.

The following topics can also be seen in this section:

• Walls
• Roofs
• Windows and Doors

Description of the image(s) on this page:

Top: Drawing showimg a cross-section of a Roman road.

Bottom: Road-side drain with a frame of oak planks.

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Building Techniques | The Reconstructions | Background Information | High Street Londinium Main Page

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