History of Lincolnshire - Pre-Roman and Roman

Pre-Roman and Roman

Lincolnshire before the Romans was occupied by the Corieltauvi a British tribe. There have been several small pre-Roman barrows discovered near to Boston and Frampton.

The Romans established permanent government in Lincolnshire soon after the invasion of AD 43, but the tyrannical rule of the Roman sub-prætor Ostorius Scapula so inflamed the Corieltauvi and their neighbours in Yorkshire, the Brigantes, that they conducted a simmering low key rebellion lasting well into AD 70.

Eventually, the Governorship of Britain was given to the Deputy of the Prefect of Gaul and the title Vicar of Britain created. He resided at York, and the sub-district of Flavia Caesariensis, which comprised Lincolnshire and parts of the Midlands was created.

Once established, the Romans set about improving Lincolnshire. They created the Car Dyke, a series of semi-natural and artificial boundary ditches which run from the River Welland at Market Deeping for 64 km to the River Witham at Washingborough, constructed hard standings and walkways across the fens, and also built inland ports such as the Brayford Pool at Lincoln.

The main Roman forts in Lincolnshire were:

• Ancaster
• Brant Broughton (Briga)
• Caistor
• Broughton (Praetorium)
• Horncastle
• Kirton in Lindsey (Inmedio)
• Lincoln (Lindum Colonia)
• Louth (Luda)
• Ludford
• Stow (Sidnacester)
• Tattershall (Drurobrivis)
• Torksey (Tiovulfingacester)
• Wainfleet (Vainona)
• Willoughby (Verometum)
• Winteringham (Ad Abum)

The Romans built three main roads through Lincolnshire:

• Ermine Street (London to York via Stamford, Lincoln and Winteringham)
• Fosse Way (Lincoln to Exeter)
• Tillbridge Lane (Lincoln to York via Marton and Littleborough)

Other roads of Roman origin are the Salters' Way, continuing the line from the Leicestershire border across Ermine Street near Old Somerby, to the then coast at Donington. King Street including The Long Hollow road, joined Ancaster to the fen edge and Durobrivae near Peterborough. Two roads linked Lincoln to the coast across the Wolds. This was used as part of the defence system set up to protect the Saxon Shore and re-used by William the Conqueror in conjunction with Lincoln Castle. There are also scores of smaller sections of roads branching off from the three major routes which are certainly Roman as well, linking Ermine Street with the Wolds and King Street with the coast. Also, Mareham Lane continued the fen-edge line of King Street northwards.

When the Romans departed in the fifth century, all these works gradually fell into ruin and disrepair.