18 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

A cobbled ford uncovered near Evesham could be the finest Roman example of its type in Britain

A cobbled ford believed to be of Roman construction has been discovered near Evesham in Worcestershire, England.

If the path is confirmed to be Roman, it will be the only of its kind in Britain. To protect the site, the exact location of the discovery is being kept under wraps. But a Roman-era villa complex across the river from the ford was discovered four years ago. The precision stonework is also reminiscent of Roman road-building abilities.

The 10m-stretch (32.8 feet), believed to extend to a depth of 3m (9.8 feet), was discovered during routine waterworks. Ruts in the stones indicate it was used by carts for a long time.

Wychavon District Council archaeology officer Aidan Smyth said the discovery “took his breath away.” If proven to be from the first century AD, it would be “beyond rare,” he added.

“The stonework is absolutely perfect,” he said. “It just ticks every box for being Roman,” Aidan Smyth said.

“When I came down to look at it, honestly, I thought it’s too good to be true.

“But then you look at the alluvium [a deposit of silt] that it’s filled up, so that hasn’t happened in one or two centuries. That’s taken millennia to be able to get that deep.

“The only place I can see similar when I was doing some research is in Pompeii. I can’t find anything else anywhere like that.”

The council will bring in an archaeologist team from Historic England to conduct a test excavation at the ford to date it and confirm that it was built by the Romans. 

Worcester was possibly the site of the Roman town of Vertis, with evidence of early military occupation.

The first Roman military expeditions to Britain were led by Julius Caesar in 55 and 54BC, but a full-scale invasion did not occur until AD43, under Emperor Claudius. Obviously, the county of Worcestershire did not exist then, but it is thought that the area fell largely within the territory of the Iron-Age Dobunni tribe and it was through this territory that the Roman army passed in the 40s and 50s AD as it pushed west to reach the River Severn on its way to Wales. The native population had to adjust to a new way of life. Roman conquest relied on building roads and forts.

Related Articles

Historic Leeds cemetery discovery unearths an ancient lead coffin belonging to a late Roman aristocratic woman

14 March 2023

14 March 2023

Archaeologists in northern Britain uncovered the skeletal remains of a late-Roman aristocratic woman inside a lead coffin, as well as...

The Oldest and Most Unique Example of the ‘Etrarchic Embracement Motif’ is on Display for the First Time

19 September 2024

19 September 2024

A relief depicting two Roman emperors’ embrace of Diocletian and Maximian during a ceremonial event, each other welcomes visitors for...

New rune discovery in Oslo

16 February 2022

16 February 2022

For the third time in a month and a half, archaeologists have found a new rune in Oslo. The artifact...

Archaeologists Discovered 8th-century BC Settlement in Uzbekistan

25 June 2024

25 June 2024

A team of Chinese and Uzbek archaeologists discovered an ancient settlement dating back to the 8th century BC in Uzbekistan,...

3,500-Year-Old Hittite Linen Fabric Exhibited for the First Time

10 March 2025

10 March 2025

A remarkable artifact, a piece of Hittite linen fabric dating back 3,500 years, has been publicly exhibited for the first...

A Mysterious Partially Submerged Structure in Ireland is a Prehistoric Tomb, archaeologist says

25 October 2022

25 October 2022

New research has revealed that a mysterious structure found many years ago on the eastern shore of Cork Harbor in...

Rare clay figurine found in Italian Cave dating back 7000 years

26 July 2023

26 July 2023

Archaeologists from Sapienza University of Rome discovered a figure with female features in the Battifratta cave, near Poggio Nativo in...

An Elamite clay tablet has been discovered in Burnt City

6 January 2022

6 January 2022

An Elamite clay tablet was discovered within the Burnt City by a team of Iranian, Italian, and Serbian archeologists. Called...

4,000-Year-Old Seal Found at Tavşanlı Mound in Western Türkiye

17 August 2024

17 August 2024

4,000-year-old seal were found at the Tavşanlı Mound (or Tavşanlı Höyük) in Türkiye’s Kütahya province—located in the west of the...

New Insights From Researchers About The World’s Longest Aqueduct

11 May 2021

11 May 2021

The Roman Empire’s aqueducts are magnificent specimens of the art of architecture. Although centuries have passed since these aqueducts were...

Rare Roman Marble Sarcophagus Depicting Dionysus and Hercules Discovered in Caesarea, Israel — A First of Its Kind

9 June 2025

9 June 2025

A rare Roman-era marble sarcophagus featuring a vivid scene of a mythological drinking contest between Dionysus, the god of wine,...

Maya city Tikal put today’s urban gardens to shame

26 June 2021

26 June 2021

The Maya civilization was known for its achievements in art, architecture, mathematics, astronomy, and calendar systems. Tikal, the ancient Maya...

Ancient City Cistern Found Near Croatia’s Iconic Fountain

15 February 2024

15 February 2024

An island-speckled coastline and ancient walled towns place Croatia among the world’s best-beauty cities. But there’s even more to this...

Construction Workers Discovered Ancient Sarcophagus in Turkey

2 March 2021

2 March 2021

On Monday, reports said that during excavations in the Seyitgazi region of Eskisehir Province in northwestern Turkey, municipal staff unexpectedly...

7,700-year-old Pottery of a Human Head and Jewelry Workshop Unearthed in Kuwait

28 November 2024

28 November 2024

A team of Kuwaiti and Polish archaeologists have uncovered a jewelry workshop at the prehistoric Ubaid period (5500–4000 B.C.) site...