Editing Pontefract (section)

===Roman===
The modern town is situated near an old [[Roman road]] (now the A639), described as the "Roman Ridge". This is believed to form part of an alternative route from [[Doncaster]] to York via Castleford and Tadcaster, as a diversion of the major Roman road [[Ermine Street]], which may have been used to avoid having to cross the [[Humber|River Humber]] near [[North Ferriby]] during rough weather conditions over the Humber.