Roman roads in Britannia section of Watling Street was begun in the years following the Roman invasion of Britain in 43 AD, it may have been known to the Romano-Britons as the "Via Claudia" in honour of Emperor Claudius (r.41-54 AD) who led the military campaign. The only Anglo-Saxon name which might be etymologically linked to an original Roman name is the Fosse Way between Exeter and Lincoln. "Fosse" may derive from "fossa", the Latin word for "ditch". But this is likely to be attributable to a popular, rather than official, Roman name for the route. Generally the Roman roads in Britain have names
Lincoln Cliff and Witham respectively flow. To the west of the Cliff north of Lincoln lies the River Trent, with the valley of the Witham to the west south of Lincoln. The top of the Cliff is followed by two historically significant roads. Closely following the escarpment is an ancient trackway, loosely known as the Jurassic Way, which in large parts now consists of the A607 south of Lincoln and the B1398 to the north. The second road is the Roman Ermine Street that runs parallel a few miles to the east of the Edge. North of Lincoln, the name Lincoln Cliff,