Festival of Archaeology | Tour
Roman Town House Tours
22 July 2023, 10:00am - 12:00noon
Meeting point: Welcome Area at Dorset Museum
– Not suitable for under 5s.
– Ticket includes a guided tour of the Roman Town House and Day Entry to Dorset Museum
Discovered in the 1930s, one of the best examples of a Roman Town House in England is situated here in Dorchester.
Following the extensive refurbishment of the covered Roman Town House structure and grounds we are proud to have partnered with Dorset Council to offer the opportunity of a guided tour of the covered structure and grounds.
Our trained guides will take you through a brief history of the site and the precious artifacts recovered and now on display at the Dorset Museum. Following this, they will take you to the site of the Roman Town House and allow you to enter the covered building which hosts a number of really special features including some of the original wall paint and mosaics and a beautifully preserved example of an underfloor heating system.
Tours start at Dorset Museum where our trained guide will give a short presentation on the history of the site and recent excavation. Followed by a quick visit to the People’s Dorset Gallery to be shown some of the key artifacts recovered from the site. The tour will then move over to the Roman Town House site via Colliton House and West Walks which is of historical importance. The full guided tour will then commence at the internal and external Town House site before returning to the Museum.
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Opening hours:
Dorset Museum & Art Gallery
Daily: 10.00am - 5.00pm
TASTE Café
Daily: 9.00am - 4.00pm
Sunday: 10:00am - 4:00pm
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Useful tips for attending this tour
• Tours start and end at the museum.
• Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society members can get discounted tickets but MUST bring their membership card with them for the tour.
• Sturdy shoes are required as the internal structure is uneven. Protective shoe covers provided.
• Tours are fully accessible.
• No toilets or facilities at the Roman Town House site, although will be available at the museum before and after the tour.
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