h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Watling Street ; A Journey - A22016882
Author: Bob Stafford (Keeper of The Treacle Shadow) - U3151547

Please comment on this I would like an opnion on the idea.

I really like the idea of a journey down Watling Street. It seems to fit the Guide's ethos.

Hi laconian

I am pleased you like the idea hows the entry looking


Bob...

I haven't read the whole thing over, but there's one thing I picked up on a quick skim: is it really necessary to have the town names listed at the end of the entry, considering they are already listed in the body?

I will take advice on that its the translations of the names it made the entry look cluttered I will alter one tell me what you think

Dont that - ‘The Muddy Estuary’ which is better

Looks to me.

Hi laconian Is this to your likeing

I like it. It's possible some of the others might suggest moving the names into the text for each settlement, but I think this way is nice. I'll give the entry a more thorough reading through when I have time.

Are you sure Worcester and Wroxeter are the same place? Or am I getting confused with the Worcester that's on the River Severn south-west of Birmingham? But if that's the one you're thinking of, that's way too far south to have been on Watling Street...

You need an introductory paragraph at the start of this. It should give a couple of sentences saying what Watling Street is and roughly where it goes, rather than talking about where it starts.

Thanks for spotting that. Yes I left it in error thank goodness for the edit process

Hi Gnomon


Nice point thanks, is that better

Bob...

Only a quick skim Bob as it's late, but Cirencester should be Corinium, not Glevum (which is Gloucester), and I thought Leicester was Ratae Coritanorum not just Ratae?

Hi Rockhound.

Thanks for the pointers, you are correct no problem I was hopeing that Ratae would be ufficent as there but there seems to be a choice,
Ratae, Rate Corion Eltauori or Ratae Corieltavorum There are three names all Roman all sourced I was keeping it simple most maps seem to favour plain Ratae.

Shall I put this in as a footnote.
I am as ever open to suggestions

Richborough - what was the fate of the triumphal arch? Are these still remnants knocking about? What about the amphitheatre? And what's a 'Mansio'?

Canterbury - you might need to explain a little about what a civitas is. I've got a rough idea, but it could do with being a bit clearer for a newcomer to Roman history.

"good connections to the Empire and Gaul trade flourished"
Wasn't Gaul part of the Empire? I suppose you could say 'connections to the Empire, especially Gaul'.

Ospringe/Faversham - there's a stray 'Watling Street' here which doesn't seem to be doing anything.

"Rochester sited at the first point that the river Medway where a bridge can be built."
A couple of things:
'Rochester *is* sited'
What do you mean by 'first point'? The highest up the river? Perhaps I'm being thick but I can't really work it out.

Hi laconian

Thanks for the comments. All done I think please have a look

Bob...

When all the content of this is sorted, I'll start on the nitpicking. There's going to be rather a lot of it, I'm afraid.

Bob, you haven't revised Richborough. Unless a Mansio is something that common knowledge and I'm just stupid .

Dunstable - has a footnote reading Mutatio. Rather cryptic. Can't work out what it means.

Caves Inn - The (Bridge 1) and so on breaks the flow up a bit.

Leintwardine - you mention a vicus but don't explain what it is.

I don't think you need the 'The Port on The River Usk' on your header for Stone Street, since you gives its translated name in Caerleon's subheader.

Apart from that, content looks good. But Gnomon's right: there's rather a lot of nit-picking.

Its a diffiult one to get to flow nicely, if you can stand it I will be gratefu as ever for any pointers.


Bob...