Seven of the most fascinating Roman ruins in the UK

, The Sunday Times

More than a million people toured the Roman thermae in Bath in 2023 — the most recent figures. And there were 750,000 visits to sites along Hadrian’s Wall, across the north of England, last year. Should we be surprised? Of course not. The written records of Britain’s 367-year Roman experience may be sketchier than a gladiator’s life prospects, but here — at the northern end of the empire — its archaeological footprint is surprisingly deep. For many of us, working out what it means — and using it to inform and animate our understanding of such a pivotal era — is an irresistible mind game. Here are seven of the sites that shed the brightest light on that extraordinary era, plus a lovely place to stay near each one.

1. Richborough, Sandwich, Kent Richborough Roman Fort ruins and reconstructed Claudian gateway.

The Romans built an early fort in Richborough

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Here is an example of how threadbare the written sources are. We’re not even sure where, in AD43, the Roman conquest of Britain began. But we do know that at Richborough the invaders built an early fortress and developed a harbour town that was, effectively, the front door of their new province. Its quayside bustled, an amphitheatre provided entertainment for up to 5,000 spectators and a giant arch faced with marble set a triumphant tone. It is, in other words, one of our most resonant Roman sites — not least because English Heritage has significantly upgraded its presentation of what remains (from £9; english-heritage.org.uk). Nearby, Goss Hall is a snug, 21st-century haven.
Details B&B doubles from £150 (gosshall.co.uk)

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2. Fishbourne Palace, Chichester, West Sussex A curator cleans a Roman mosaic at Fishbourne Roman Palace.

Explore Fishbourne’s mosaics from a raised walkway

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As the historian David Mattingly puts it, “for every winner under Roman rule, there were 100 losers”, and few won more handsomely than the owner of Fishbourne Palace — the largest private Roman building unearthed north of the Alps. Who built it? Was it the client king Cogidubnus, or maybe the governor Sallustius Lucullus? Speculation is all part of the fun. So too is the raised walkway that tiptoes over the property’s mosaics, which once filled 50 rooms (£14; sussexpast.co.uk). Ten minutes’ drive away, the East Pallant Bed and Breakfast is the place to stay.
Details B&B doubles from £185 (east-pallant-bed-breakfast.westsussexhotel.com)

3. Caerleon, Newport, Monmouthshire Ruins of the Roman Amphitheatre entrance at Caerleon, Wales.

The Roman amphitheatre at Caerleon

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It took 40-odd years for the Romans to complete their conquest of what is now England and Wales — and the fortress at Caerleon, near Newport, is a reminder of just how fierce resistance could be. One of three permanent legionary bases in Britain, it was built to subdue the ancient tribe of Silures, who had resisted the Roman Empire for a generation. Visible remains include the fort’s bathhouse, barracks and amphitheatre (£6; cadw.gov.wales). Nearby, the Priory Hotel & Restaurant is a stylish base. But don’t get too comfy — ten miles away, the Roman walls at Venta Silurum (modern Caerwent) still stand, up to 15ft tall.
Details B&B doubles from £145 (thepriorycaerleon.co.uk)

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4. Great Bath, Bath, Somerset The Roman Baths in Bath, England, with Victorian superstructure.

The Great Bath still has its original, Roman 45 lead sheets

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The Roman historian Tacitus sneered at the conquered British elite, saying they were seduced by the trappings of Roman life and “called these aspects of their subjugation, civilisation”. But it’s not hard to see the attraction as you wander the thermae in Bath. Around its Great Bath, everything below knee level is original, including the 45 lead sheets that line the pool — and there’s still a sense of grandeur about the place 1,950 years after it was built (from £26; romanbaths.co.uk). Eight minutes’ walk away, the elegant, boutiquey Yard in Bath hotel is just as seductive.
Details Room-only doubles from £130 (theyardinbath.co.uk)

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5. Chysauster Ancient Village, near Penzance, Cornwall Ruins of Chysauster ancient village, an Iron Age settlement.

Chysauster Ancient Village gives a glimpse into the lives of the rural population under Roman control

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And what of the rural population of ancient Britain — the ones who didn’t go to bathhouses? Their footprint is much fainter — and for the clearest sense of how they lived head to Chysauster, far beyond the Romanised core of the province, to see the skeleton of what was once a small village. Here, around a cluster of nine courtyard houses, 50 to 70 people planted cereal crops, herded sheep and tended their gardens (free; english-heritage.org.uk). Ten minutes’ drive south, in Penzance, the Artist Residence is a fun and friendly base.
Details B&B doubles from £127 (artistresidence.co.uk)

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6. Vindolanda, Hexham, Northumberland Ruins of the suspended floor of a granary at Vindolanda Roman Fort.

Vindolanda is one of the best preserved Roman forts in the UK

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Vindolanda may have been an ordinary auxiliary fortress on the first north-country frontier of Roman Britain, but it’s now a world-class archaeological site, on account of its soggy soil. Each time the fort was rebuilt, the remains of its predecessor were sealed into the earth’s embrace, and as a result all kinds of rare objects have been preserved: sandals, saddles, wooden toilet seats, woollen socks — you’ll see them all, along with the writing tablets that were the emails of their day (£15; vindolanda.com). Deepen the pleasure by booking a night at the Kirkstyle Inn in Slaggyford.
Details B&B doubles from £200 (theksi.co.uk)

7. Hadrian’s Wall, Cumbria and Northumberland Housesteads Roman Fort ruins at Hadrian's Wall.

Visit Housesteads Roman fort in Northumberland as you walk the Hadrian’s Wall Way

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Is there any way to follow Vindolanda? Yes — because Hadrian’s Wall stands just a mile north. Here, as it tops the crags of the Whin Sill, it preserves not just a complete system of Roman defence but the methodical and impressive mindset of its builders. Two of its forts are must-sees. At windswept Housesteads it’s easy to imagine the hard graft required to run such an inhospitable outpost. Further west, at Birdoswald, the remains of a 5th-century feasting hall — the kind used by a local warlord — points the way to the post-Roman period (from £9 for either fort; english-heritage.org.uk). Farlam Hall offers a luxurious overnight stay nearby.
Details B&B doubles from £306 (farlamhall.com)