Via Devana

Via Devana is an ancient Roman road connecting Colchester to Chester, passing through Cambridge and Leicester across varied landscapes. The route linked multiple Roman settlements and military centers spread across the region.

The road was built during Roman occupation of Britain and served as a military route from at least the 1st to 4th century. It connected important fortifications and settlements that supported the Roman administrative network.

The road takes its name from Deva, the Latin term for Chester, and was first recorded by cartographer Charles Mason on his 1808 map of Cambridgeshire.

Visitors can see remnants of the original roadbed in certain stretches near Medbourne and Leicester, where modern paths follow the ancient alignment. Walking these sections helps understand how the ancient route functioned.

Much of the Via Devana has vanished in the north, and some historians exclude these sections entirely from their historical maps. This makes it difficult to trace how far the original route extended northward.