The ford from which the village derived its name was connected with the Fosse Way.
The village stands beside the route of the Fosse Way, and the Roman settlement was south-west of the current village.
The south eastern boundary of the parish follows the route of the Fosse Way a Roman road that linked Exeter (Isca Dumnoniorum) in South West England to Lincoln (Lindum Colonia) in the East Midlands, via Ilchester (Lindinis), Bath (Aquae Sulis), Cirencester (Corinium) and Leicester (Ratae Corieltauvorum).
Other minor Roman roads lead from Ilchester and Lydford-on-Fosse towards Street and the A39 route along the Polden Hills, leading to Roman salt works on the Somerset Levels, and ports at Combwich, Crandon Bridge and Highbridge.
•
There are further alignments on the A358 at Ball's Farm and Musbury south of Axminster, which imply a Roman road did continue along the River Axe toward Axmouth and Seaton.
•
It passes near the Iron Age hill fort of Bury Camp and becomes another section of the county boundary, crossing second the South Wales railway which is the South Wales Main Line, next the site of an old chapel and spring at Fosse Lodge in Dunley, and then the M4.
The town grew along the line of the Fosse Way, the ancient Roman road linking Exeter (Isca Dumnoniorum) to Lincoln (Lindum) on which it was an important stopping point.
The village is situated near the Fosse Way Roman road and two Roman villas were excavated in the village in the 19th century, but nothing remains of them today.
Between Lopenhead and Lopen the road crosses the ancient Roman Fosse Way, which at this point is just a minor country lane.
The Fosse Way Roman road originally ran through this area, between what is now Radstock and Midsomer Norton.
Bob Fosse | Fosse Way | Jon Fosse | Fosse | Stratton-on-the-Fosse | Louis Remy de la Fosse |
It is the nearest village to the source of the river Thames at Thames Head, and it is close to the course of the Foss Way or Fosse Way, the ancient Roman road.
It is very close to the B4455, which follows the line of the Roman Fosse Way, and the River Leam.
Ilchester was a Roman garrison town, built at the point where the Fosse Way crossed the River Ivel, and there is evidence that the Romans built quays on the river.
The historic city of Leicester was founded by the Romans at the crossing of the River Soar by the Fosse Way, between the current path of the river and the modern Gallowtree Gate.