Via Devana

The Via Devana was a Roman Road in England that ran from Colchester in the south-east to Chester in the north-west. Both 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 it was thus 'The Chester Road'. Colchester was Colonia Victricensis 'the City of Victory' and lays claim to be the oldest Roman city in England. As Via Devana had little civilian rationale and the capacity for maintaining extensive public works imploded, it fell into disuse following withdrawal of the last Roman legion from Britain in 407. As a result its route is difficult to find, 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, rector of Orwell, Cambridgeshire, and Woodwardian Professor of Fossils, who compiled a map of Cambridgeshire, published in 1808, long after his death.^[1]

Its route ran north and west as follows:

Colchester - Colonia Victricensis
Wixoe (conjectured) - (possible fort)
Cambridge - (Latin name: Cantabrigia. Roman Name: Durolipons or Duroliponte)
Huntingdon / Godmanchester (Durolipus or Durovigutum) where it crossed Ermine Street
Corby

“	The Via Devana, from Colchester to Chester, enters this county (Leicestershire) near Cottingham, and, crossing the Welland, passes Medbourne, near Slanston Mill (sic), whence it is continued between the two Strettons to Leicester, where it joins the Fosse, which, however, it soon leaves to proceed to Grooby, whence it is carried by Ashby to Burton upon Trent.	”
—Topographical Dictionary of England (1831)

Medbourne - The stretch from Medbourne to Leicester is broken, but where it exists is nowadays known as the "Gartree Road"
Leicester- (Ratae Corieltauvorum), meeting Fosse Way

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 until
Water Eaton - (Pennocrucium)^[2] 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)
Chester

References

^ Charles Mason, (died 1770); map published in Lyson, Magna Britannia, 1808, p.229: Codrington T, Roman Roads in Britain, 1903, p137; Willis, Robert, The Architectural History of the University of Cambridge,..., 1886, vol. II Appendix pp675f.
^ Pennocrucium

External links

Via Devana in Leicestershire

Roman Empire – Roman roads

	Via Aemilia – Via Aemilia Scauri – Via Agrippa – Via Amerina – Via Anicia – Via Appia – Via Aquillia – Via Aquitania – Via Asturica Burdigalam – Via Augusta – Via Augusta Pretoria – Via Aurelia – Via Bracara Asturicam – Via Campana – Via Cassia – Via Claudia Augusta – Via Claudia Nova – Via Clodia – Via Confluentana – Via Corsica – Via Decia – Via Delapidata – Via Devana – Strata Diocletiana – Via Domitia – Via Domiziana – Via Egnatia – Via Fenollentis – Via Flaminia – Via Flavia – Via Gallica – Via Gemina – Via Hadriana – Via Julia Augusta – Via Labicana – Via Latina – Via Laurentina – Via Lusitanorum – Via Mala – Via Maris – Via Militaris – Via Nomentana – Via Ostiensis – Via Pontica – Via Popilia – Via Portuensis – Via Praenestina – Via Postumia – Via Salaria – Via Severiana – Via Sublacensis – Via Traiana – Via Traiana Nova – Via Valeria – Via Vallespiri