Newport Arch is the gate leading to the suburb of Newport, but its importance is as the Roman north gate of the Upper City/colonia through which passed Ermine Street that linked London to York.
The first gate here was probably the 1st-century timber gate of the legionary fortress, but no trace has yet been found archologically. A stone facing was possibly added to it in the early 2nd century.
Constructed c.AD200 it is the inner of the arches standing now. It would have had a bastion.
After many rebuildings through the centuries it has since been subject to damage from vehicles, particularly to the upper part hit by a lorry in July 1964, when it had to be dismantled and rebuilt.
Anyway its importance is that it is the only Roman gate in Britain with traffic passing underneath. read more