Researchers have digitally reconstructed medieval roads in England and Wales, revealing the enduring influence of Roman infrastructure on travel patterns. By applying Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology to the Gough Map, a detailed 15th-century manuscript, historians and digital archaeologists have gained insights into the evolution of travel routes after Roman Britain's decline.
The project centers on interpreting red lines on the Gough Map, previously dismissed as decorative, as representations of actual medieval roads. The research team compared these routes with surviving Roman roads, finding strong correlations in urban centers like London, Winchester, and Leicester, where Roman structures persisted.
Conversely, regions with abandoned Roman settlements, such as Old Sarum and Venta Icenorum, exhibited less route continuity. The researchers analyzed archaeological remains, historical records, linguistic data, and ecological evidence to understand these patterns. Their findings suggest that the survival or disappearance of Roman roads depended on local conditions and choices.
The study highlights that medieval travel routes were shaped by everyday decisions, adapting to local terrain, crop cycles, politics, and needs, rather than solely by imperial planning or economic hubs. This digital reconstruction, similar to European initiatives like Viabundus and Itiner-e, offers a valuable tool for understanding how historical layers shaped medieval landscapes and how people organized their world.