Roman Roads and ferries - Richborough

Richborough was one of the most important towns in Roman Britain for at least the first half of the occupation, as it was the main port for goods and the military movements to and from the continent. They fact that it was virtually undefended for most of its life shows how complete was Roman control of England at the time.

A minor unsolved mystery is which were the routes used for travelling inland from the island of Richborough, surrounded as it was by the wide Wansum Channel to the north and east and by marshes to the west and south. Over the four hundred years of occupation, there were probably a number of routes as conditions changed. Even today, paths around the English Heritage site are muddy and hampered by water-filled ditches.

This map by Floodmap.net has been used to show water levels of 3m higher than today, giving an indication of the landscape in Roman times.

Richborough castle (1) and the amphitheatre (2) are on the east side, with the (as yet unexcavated) town between them. Was there a raised trackway or boardwalk from there to the mainland around Richborough Farm (3) and beyond to roads from Ash (4 & 5), and/or a ferry to East Street (6 with an apparent wharf (7) and Each End (8).  

There was certainly a ferry from Each End to Sandwich in that town's early days - you can see the pub where (like at Grove Ferry and Pluck's Gutter) refreshments could be enjoyed while waiting for the ferryman.

One of the possible (probable?) connecting roads is clearly visible north of Each End, between East Street and Brookstreet Farm, below.

Note the usage of 'street' in the name, denoting a paved road rather than an muddy track so possibly of Roman origin. There are plenty of cobbles in the fields beside the track, contrasting with the usual random flints.