Hidden 2,000-year-old Roman road Discovered by Workers

In a field, workers discovered a Roman road, possibly the only one of its kind in Britain and of "global importance." The cobbled ford discovered close to Evesham, Worcestershire, may be the best Roman example of its kind in the nation, according to archaeologists. Severn Trent noticed the 32-foot stretch, which is 9.6 feet wide, a few weeks ago when performing normal waterworks. With only Rome and Pompeii as analogies, it is thought to have been built like a wall using huge stones placed in bands, a customary Roman technique. Although the precise location of the find is being kept a secret, it was made near a river where a Roman-era villa complex was discovered four years earlier. The site is currently being excavated to learn more about it, but experts say all signs point to it being a real Roman building that dates back 1,900 years. Wychavon District Council was notified by the property owners, and a team from Historic England is now anticipated to analyze the excavations. The discovery "took his breath away," according to Wychavon District Council archaeologist Aidan Smyth. It would be "beyond uncommon" and the only route of its kind in Britain if it were proven to date from the first century AD. The ford, which crosses a brook, also shows signs of extensive cart use in the form of ruts in the stones. “At the moment everything is ticking the boxes for it to be Roman but it still feels too good to be true so we are keeping an open mind," Smyth said.

“If it turns out to be medieval then it is could still be considered to be nationally significant as nothing similar has been found in Britain to date.

"If it is a first-century Roman feature it is the only one of its kind to be found in Britain to date, there's not really anything like this medieval either.

"If it was to be a Roman feature, with its only comparisons in Rome and Pompeii, you could argue it's of world importance, not just of national importance.