List of Roman place names in Britain

A partial list of Roman place names in Great Britain.

Roman Britain. Map from 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica

This list includes only names documented from Roman tis. For a more complete list including later Latin names, see List of Latin place names in Britain.

The early sources for Roman names show numerous variants and misspellings of the Latin names. Moreover, one of the principal authorities, Ptolemy, wrote in Greek so names that he records need to be transliterated back into Latin to reveal the original form.

Note that in general only one source is shown below for each name, although many of the names are recorded in more than one of the sources.

Lists

Geographic regions

Roman nameModern regionAppearance
BritanniaGreat BritainT
HiberniaIreland 
CaledoniaScotland 

Settlement names

Roman nameModern nameAppearances
Aballava Burgh by Sands, Cumbria ND, T
Ad Ansam Unknown (Higham, Suffolk?) AI
Ad Pontem East Stoke, Nottinghamshire AI
Ad Pontes or PontibusStaines-upon-Thames, MiddlesexAI
Aesica Great Chesters, Northumberland ND, T
AlaunodunumMaidenhead, Berkshire
Alione or Alavana Watercrook or Low Borrowbridge, Cumbria? ND, AI
Alauna Maryport, Cumbria ND
Alaune Alcester, Warwickshire RC, T
Amboglanna or Banna Birdoswald, Cumbria ND
Anderitum Pevensey, East Sussex ND, T
Aquae ArnemetiaeBuxton, DerbyshireRC
Aquae SulisBath, SomersetAI, P
Arbeia South Shields, Tyne & Wear ND, T
ArdotaliaGamesley, Glossop, DerbyshireRC
Argistillum Unknown (Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire?) RC
Ariconium Weston under Penyard, Herefordshire AI
Bannavem TaburniaeunknownSP
BannaventaNorton, near Daventry, NorthamptonshireAI
Belgic oppidumBraintree, Essex
Blatobulgium Birrens, Dumfrieshire AI
Blestium Monmouth AI
Bomium Cowbridge, South Glamorgan? AI
Bovio Tilston, Cheshire AI
Branodunum Brancaster, Norfolk ND, T
Bravonium Leintwardine, Herefordshire AI
Bremenium High Rochester, Northumberland AI
Bremetennacum Veteranorum Ribchester, Lancashire AI, ND, RC, T
Brige Ashley or Stockbrigde, Hampshire? AI
Brocavum Brougham, Cumbria AI
Brocolitia or Procolitia Carrawburgh, Northumberland ND, T
Brovonacae or Bravoniacum Kirkby Thore, Cumbria AI, T
Burrium Usk, Monmouthshire AI
CaesaromagusChelmsford, EssexAI, RC
CalcariaTadcaster, North YorkshireAI
Calleva AtrebatumSilchester, HampshireAI, P, RC
Camboduno unknown (Huddersfield?) AI
Camboglanna Castlesteads, Northumberland RC, T
Camborico Lackford or Hockwold, Norfolk AI
CamulodunumColchester, EssexAI, P, RC
Canonium Kelvedon, Essex AI
CaromagoCramond, EdinburghRC
Castra Exploratorum Netherby, Cumbria AI
Cataractonium Catterick, North Yorkshire AI, P, RC
Causennis Unknown (Sapperton, Lincolnshire?) AI
Cilurnum Walwick Chesters, Northumberland ND, T
ClausentumBitterne, HampshireAI
ClotageniumOld Kilpatrick, GlasgowRC
Coccium Wigan, Lancashire AI
Colonia Colchester, Essex AI, RC
Conbretovium Coddenham, Suffolk AI
ConcangisChester-le-Street, County DurhamND, RC, T
Congavata or Coggabata Drumburgh, Cumbria ND, T
Condercum Benwell, Newcastle upon Tyne ND, T
CondateNorthwich, CheshireAI
Conovium Caerhun, Clwyd AI, RC
Corinium DobunnorumCirencester, GloucestershireAI, P, RC
Coria or CorstopitumCorbridge, NorthumberlandAI, P, RC
Crocolana Brough, Nottinghamshire AI
Cunetione Mildenhall, Wiltshire AI
CuriaTraprain Law, East LothianP
DanumDoncaster, South YorkshireAI, ND, T
Delgovicia or Devovicia Malton, North Yorkshire AI, RC
Deva VictrixChesterAI, P, RC
Derventione Papcastle, Cumbria ND, T
Derventio Brigantum Stamford Bridge or Malton, Yorkshire AI
Derventio Coritanorum Little Chester, Derby RC, T
Dictim near Sunderland ND, T
DubrisDover, KentAI, ND, RC, T
DurnovariaDorchester, DorsetAI, RC
Durobrovis Rochester, Kent AI, RC
Durobrivae Water Newton, Cambridgeshire AI, RC
DurocobrivisDunstable, BedfordshireAI
DurocornoviumSwindon, WiltshireAI
Durolevum Unknown (Ospringe or Sittingbourne?) AI
DuroliponsCambridgeAI, RC
DurolitumLittle London, EssexAI
Durovernum CantiacorumCanterburyAI, RC
DurovigutumGodmanchesterRC
EboracumYorkAI, P, RC
EvidenscaEast LothianRC
Gabrosentum Unknown (Moresby, Cumbria or Gateshead?) ND, T
Galacum Burrow-in-Lonsdale? AI
Galava Ambleside, Cumbria AI
GarrianonumBurgh Castle, NorfolkND, T
Glannoventa or Cantiventi Ravenglass, Cumbria AI, ND, RC, T
Glevum ColoniaGloucesterAI, RC
Gobannium Abergavenny, Monmouthshire AI, RC
HortoniumHalifax, West Yorkshire
Isca DumnoniorumExeter, DevonAI, P, RC
Isca AugustaCaerleon, GwentAI
Isannavantia Norton, Northamptonshire AI
Isurium or Isubrigantum Aldborough, North Yorkshire AI, P
LactodorumTowcester, NorthamptonshireAI, RC
Lagentium or LegeolioCastleford, West YorkshireAI, RC
Lavatris Bowes Castle, County Durham AI, ND, RC, T
LeodisLeeds
Leucarum Loughor, Swansea AI
Letocetum or EtocetoWall, StaffordshireAI
LindinisIlchester, SomersetP, RC
Lindum ColoniaLincolnAI, P
LondiniumLondonAI, P
Longovicium Lanchester, County Durham ND, RC, T
LuentinumPumsaint/DolaucothiP
LuguvaliumCarlisle, CumbriaAI, RC
Lutudarum Wirksworth or Carsington, Derbyshire RC
Magiovinto Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire AI
Magis near Workington, Cumbria ND, T
Magnis Kenchester, Herefordshire AI, ND, RC, T
Maglona Wigton, Cumbria ND, T
Magnus Portus Bosham, Sussex P
Manduesedum Mancetter, Warwickshire AI
Mamucium or Mantio Manchester AI, RC
MaromagoMidlothianRC
Margidunum Bingham, Nottinghamshire AI
MediolanumWhitchurch, ShropshireAI, P, RC
Metchleynear Birmingham
Morbium Piercebridge, County Durham ND, T
Moridunum Axminster, Devon AI
MoridunumCarmarthenP
Navio or AnoviusBrough-on-Noe, Hope Valley, DerbyshireRC
Nidum Neath, West Glamorgan AI
Noviomagus ReginorumChichester, SussexAI, P, RC
Noviomagus Cantiacorumunknown (Crayford, Kent?)AI
Olenacum unknown (Elslack, North Yorkshire?) ND, T
OlicanaIlkley, West YorkshireP
Onnum or Hunnum Halton, Northumberland ND, T
OthonaBradwell-on-Sea, EssexND, T
Pennocrucium Water Eaton, Staffordhire AI
Petriana Stanwix in Carlisle, Cumbria ND, T
Petuaria Brough, Yorkshire P, RC
Pons AeliusNewcastle upon TyneND, T
Portus Abonae Sea Mills, Bristol AI
Portus Adurni Portchester, Hampshire ND, RC, T
Portus FelixFiley, North Yorkshire
Portus LemanisLympne, KentAI, ND, T
Praesidium unknown (Newton Kyme, North Yorkshire?) ND, T
Praetoriumunknown (Bridlington?)AI
Ratae CorieltauvorumLeicesterAI, P
RegulbiumReculver, KentND, T
Rutunium Harcourt Park, Shropshire AI
RutupiaeRichborough, KentAI, ND, P, T
SalinaeMiddlewich, CheshireRC
Segedunum Wallsend, Tyne and Wear ND, T
Segelocum or Agelocum Littleborough, Nottinghamshire AI
SegontiumCaernarfonAI, RC
Sitomagus, Sitomagum, Sitomago, or Senomagus Unknown, possibly Ixworth, Suffolk AI
Sorbiodonum Salisbury, Wiltshire AI, RC
Spinae Speen, Berkshire AI
Sulloniacaeunknown (Brockley Hill?)AI
Trajectus Keynsham, Somerset AI
TrimontiumNewstead, Scottish BordersP
Tripontium Churchover, Warwickshire AI
Uxacona Redhill, Shropshire AI
Uxelodunum or Axelodunum Bowness-on-Solway, Cumbria ND, RC, T
VagniacaeSpringhead, KentAI
Varae St Asaph, Denbighshire? AI
VectisIsle of WightP
Venonae High Cross, Leicestershire AI
Venta BelgarumWinchester, HampshireAI, P, RC
Venta Icenorum or Icinos Caistor St Edmund, Norfolk AI, P, RC
Venta SilurumCaerwent, MonmouthshireAI, RC
Vercovicium or Borcovicium Housesteads, Northumberland ND, T
Verlucione Sandy Lane, Wiltshire AI
Verterae or Verteris Brough, Cumbria AI, ND, T
Vertis Unknown (Worcester?) RC
VerulamiumSt Albans, HertfordshireAI, P, RC, T
Verometum or Vernometum Willoughby on the Wolds, Nottinghamshire AI
Vindobala Rudchester, Northumberland ND, T
Vindocladia Shapwick, Dorset AI, RC
Vindolanda Chesterholme, Northumberland RC, T
Vindomis Neatham, Hampshire AI, RC
Vindomora Ebchester, County Durham AI
VinoviaBinchester, County DurhamAI, P, RC
Viroconium CornoviorumWroxeter, ShropshireAI, RC
Virosidum Bainbridge, North Yorkshire ND, T
Voreda Penrith, Cumbria AI, RC

See also

Primary sources

  1. AI: The Antonine Itinerary
  2. P: Ptolemy's Geography
  3. RC: The Ravenna Cosmography
  4. T: Tacitus's On the Life and Character of Julius Agricola.
  5. SP: Confession of St. Patrick
  6. ND: Notitia Dignitatum

References

  1. A.L.F. Rivet and Colin Smith, The place-names of Roman Britain. London, 1979 (reprinted by Book Club Associates, 1981)
  2. "Britannia in the Ravenna Cosmography". www.kmatthews.org.uk. Retrieved 27 April 2020
  3. "The Antonine Itinerary". roadsofromanbritain.org. Retrieved 27 April 2020
  4. "Ptolemy's Geography - Book II, Chapter 2". penelope.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
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