Silchester Roman Town

The Roman town of Silchester (Calleva Atrebatum) lies buried under pasture in the Hampshire countryside, a short distance from modern Basingstoke. Unlike many other Roman towns that continued to evolve after the Roman occupation of Britain, Silchester Roman Town was completely abandoned and the site never subsequently developed. As a result, lying just beneath the surface of the ground, the complete layout of the town has survived intact. Only two other towns in England have survived to a similar degree, those at Caistor in Norfolk and Wroxeter in Shropshire.

Although the interior of the town has now been obscured by the countryside, the full extent of the Roman town walls have survived remarkably well, and the amphitheatre situated outside the perimeter has recently been restored. Major excavation works were carried out over a 45 year period, beginning in 1864, when the Forum, Basilica, Public Baths and a large Mansio were discovered, as well as numerous smaller buildings thought to be shops, offices and houses. Several mosaics were found in the houses at that time, and in 1901 some were lifted from House 1 Insula XXVII at Silchester and preserved at Reading Musuem. Three other mosaic pavements were excavated by the 2nd Duke of Wellington in 1866 and have been re-laid in the entrance hall to his ancestral home at Stratfield Saye.

The Roman Town Trail, set up by Hampshire County Council, takes in the whole of Silchester Roman Town by way of a circular walk of about 1.5miles (2.8K), with information boards explaining the sites history. There is also a free museum run by an independent Trust, open daily, which has a small exhibition about the Roman town. On a warm, sunny afternoon there is no better way to learn about this fascinating period of history than to take a gentle stroll around this beautiful part of the countryside, enjoying the absolute peace and tranquillity of this deserted town.

For more detailed information about Silchester Roman Town, and the archaeological finds from the Victorian excavations, a visit to Reading Museum is essential. The Department of Archaeology at Reading University is also using Silchester Roman Town as the base for a research and training programme for students over a five year period. Hopefully, their in-depth studies will add further factual data to the current knowledge of this important Roman site.