Roman Town House, Dorchester, Dorset
This is fascinating as the Roman Town House in Dorchester is the only example of a fully uncovered Roman townhouse in the country. Get that. Dorchester is well known for its connections with Roman times, when it was called Durnovaria, so it’s no surprise that in the 1930’s no less than 8 buildings dating from that period were discovered on land belonging to Dorset County Council – the best among them was the Roman Town House. The council decided this should be kept on permanent display and from the 1990’s cover buildings and improvements have been made in the style of what would originally have been there. There are 18 rooms with mosaics and a sarcophagus clearly visible, it’s free to visit, but note that with ongoing maintenance it’s not always possible to have a look inside the house.
Open: Oct-Mar Mon-Sun 10.00 am-4.00 pm
T: 01305 224921 All information correct at the time of writing