The 10 best Roman sites in Britain

The Romans left their mark on Britain in more ways than one, with a large number of fantastic Roman sites that can be accessed by the public. Below we have picked the ten best Roman sites in Britain which all provide excellent opportunities to see incredible artefacts and ancient building ruins, as well as to learn more about the Roman history in the UK.

Richborough Roman Fort

Marking the site where the Romans first landed in Britain, Richborough Roman Fort is situated in the East Kent marshes and features impressive stone walls that indicate where the fort was located. Visitors can explore a range of artefacts found at the site in the accompanying museum and there is the option to take a boat trip to the site from Sandwich, in order to approach the fort like the Romans of old would have done.

Birdoswald Roman Fort

Hadrian’s Wall is a renowned landmark but some sites provide better views of this impressive feature than others. One such site is Birdoswald Roman Fort where the longest unbroken stretch of the wall can be found. In addition to exploring the wall and the remains of the fort, the visitors centre has informative displays, a model of the wall at its top height and intriguing artefacts to ponder over.

The Roman Baths

The famous Roman Baths in Bath provide a fun day out for visitors of all ages. There are lots of things to see here, from the beautiful structures themselves to the museum which contains a number of intriguing objects which provide insight into the people who lived around and used the Roman Baths. Try to plan your visit for earlier or later in the day to avoid large queues.

Fishbourne Roman Palace

Keen to see the biggest Roman home within Britain? Then head to Fishbourne Roman Palace near Chichester, where you can take a tour of this incredible site. The palace contains a wonderful collection of in situ mosaics as well as recreated Roman gardens.

Vindolanda

Vindolanda, located near the village of Bardon Mill in Northumberland, is a definite must-see for anyone who has an interest in Roman history. Vindolanda served as a village and frontier fort and predates Hadrian’s Wall. Today visitors can see live excavations in process as well as several of the Vindolanda Writing Tablets. These tablets are the oldest surviving handwritten documents to have been found in Britain and have been voted Britain's Top Treasure.

Caerleon Roman Fortress

The Caerleon Roman Fortress boasts Europe’s only viewable remains of a Roman legionary barracks, as well as a bathhouse and an amphitheatre that was capable of holding up to six thousand people. The National Roman Legion Museum, situated within the remains of the fortress, contains a fantastic range of objects that provide great insight into the history of this site.

Chedworth Roman Villa

Plenty of delightful sights wait to intrigue visitors at Chedworth Roman Villa. In addition to exploring the ruins of the villa there are lots of fascinating artefacts to see in the museum and visitors may want to throw coins into the water shrine, just as ancient Romans made offerings to the goddess of spring here. Children can have fun dressing up as ancient Romans and visitors of all ages can enjoy close-up views of the beautiful in situ mosaics thanks to suspended walkways. Fun events that will appeal to kids and adults take place here throughout the year too.

Chester

Chester is home to both the Chester Roman Amphitheatre as well as the Chester Roman Gardens. The amphitheatre is Britain’s biggest Roman amphitheatre, while the gardens contain a number of Roman artefacts sourced from archaeological sites in Chester.

Dolaucothi Gold Mines

For something a bit different, pay a visit to the Dolaucothi Gold Mines near the village of Pumsaint in Wales. The mines are the UK’s only known Roman gold mines and visitors can enjoy an audio trail that provides insight into the Romans’ impact in the area.

Chesters Roman Fort

Forming part of Hadrian’s Wall, Chesters Roman Fort in Northumberland is the UK’s most well preserved Roman cavalry fort. Visitors can explore the likes of a steam room, baths and officers’ quarters, as well as an assortment of artefacts in the site’s museum.

See the past in person

From domestic buildings to military structures, the Roman sites above provide wonderful insight into an important part of Britain’s history that helped shape it into the place it is today. Even though these sites are no longer at the height of their glory, they are all impressive and offer an informative and fun day out.