Wroxeter Roman City and village

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We caught the No.96 bus from Shrewsbury Abbey. Wroxeter Roman City wasn’t far from Attingham Park, which we visited a few years ago. The bus drove past there on the way to Wroxeter village. The bus driver kindly stopped at the bus stop and gave us the direction to Wroxeter Roman City.



We showed our English Heritage Membership cards and were offered audio guides. Wroxeter Roman City contained the impressive remains of a Roman bath house in the middle of the countryside. As soon as we set foot on the site, a sizeable freestanding masonry wall came into our sight. We firstly walked on the site of the Basilica where the people would wait for their turn for bathing, and approached the big masonry wall, i.e. the Old Work of the original south wall of the Basilica, which was built in the 2^nd century.



We then went up to the modern viewing area and overlooked the unheated room, main heated room, the bars, and beyond. The original masonry wall stood out from any angle. The audio guide tour invited us to see the Plunge Pool, Western Bath suite, Exercise Yard and the Market Hall. The narrative talk and conversation on the audio guide was so atmospheric and informative that it gave us good picture of the Roman bath house and how it was used in its hey day.



Next, we went to the Forum site. The audio guide told us that the Forum was re-built by six people using only tools and materials known to the Romans in 2010, and it was a very challenging task. The recreated Roman house was built in the form of the L-shaped building, with rooms around the courtyard. We saw the shop, doorkeeper’s room, dining room, private bedroom, and bath rooms.



Afterwards, we looked round the Site Museum adjacent to the shop. The Site Museum showed miscellaneous collections of artefacts, documents, manuscripts which have been discovered around the Wroxeter Roman city and its surroundings and provided comprehensive details of the Roman City. The shop had good collections of Roman and archaeology books.



We walked to Wroxeter and Church of St Andrew. The Church of St Andrew looked very old. We found the inside of the church cool and chilled, although it was very warm in Wroxeter village in the afternoon on 22 May. We saw the big font, which was believed to be the base of a Roman column, cupboard with illustrated panelling, tomb chests, wall monuments, whilst strolling through the nave and chancel. The church has been under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. We found the treasures and furniture very well-maintained, although it has been used on very few occasions in the recent years. It was interesting to learn that the gate pillars to the churchyard are reused Roman columns. There were another couple who were visiting the church at the same time as us.



On the way back to the Wroxeter Roman City, we found the viewpoint to the countryside and the Roman Wall.

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