What are called the Roman Roads of Great Britain—though many of them go back long before the Romans into Brythonic times—are just now attracting more attention.
An interesting booklet, reprinted from the Transactions of the Birmingham Archæological Society, is “The Roman Roads of South Birmingham,” by Mr. George Cadbury, jun.
He brings out the interesting fact that the earliest tracks in the Midlands were connected with the salt springs at Droitwich, and were only wide enough for the passage of pack animals laden with salt.
The name “Saltway” still survives in many areas round Birmingham.
Gradually with the British use of wheeled chariots these pack-horse trails became wider, and causeways were built over marshes.
Considerable trade grew up in tin, salt, and iron. Then came the Romans, and their engineers used the existing saltways, but made straight military roads along them.
Mr. Cadbury’s paper is full of careful observation and measurement of such traces of the Roman roads and pre-Roman trackways as remain, and it indicates the growth of this fascinating branch of study.