Ermine Street
Preserved but no longer current.
One of the most ancient roads in Britain; originally running from Colchester by way of Godmanchester and Lincoln to York, but later connected by the Romans with London, in the south, and the Wall of Hadrian in the north. The origin of the name is obscure, but it is not Roman. It may be connected with Old Teutonic irmin, mighty, large. The most important of the other so-called "Roman roads" in Britain are Watling Street, Icknield Street?
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Ermine Street” mean?
One of the most ancient roads in Britain; originally running from Colchester by way of Godmanchester and Lincoln to York, but later connected by the Romans with London, in the south, and the Wall of Hadrian in the north. The origin of the name is obscure, but it is not Roman. It may be connected with Old Teutonic irmin, mighty, large. The most important of the other so-called "Roman roads" in Britain are Watling Street, Icknield Street?
Is “Ermine Street” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.