Prehistoric trackways and bridges of England and Wales:

A totally of 174 prehistoric trackways and 19 conditionally possible bridges are known from England and Wales. Many of these are poorly reported, but It it’s an increasingly number have robust scientific dating and analytical informations. Then dating information suggests periods of more and less an intense trackways building activity, which can be compared to varying sources of climate informations that suggest explanations for some of the patterns.

The trackways were created in very different wetland ecosystems, influencing their construction, longevity and extents. Many trackways, sometimes linked to platforms, are associated with probable ritual deposition of objects such as stone axes, wooden figurines, bronze metalwork and animal and human bones . These trackways all shares similarities in their environmental setting. The known bridges and jetties may also have provided multiple functions of aiding communication, as foci for ritual deposits, as fish weirs and barriers to river transport.

The Sweet track in the Glastonbury fens, Somerset is believed to be the oldest purpose built road in the world and has been dated to the 3800s BC.

Ancient trackway can refer to any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity. Such paths existed from the earliest prehistoric times and in every inhabited part of the globe. The term is commonly used in the British Isles to describe the ancient trackways that already existed when the Romans arrived in Iron Age Britain.