This discussion has been closed.
Posted by Rachel (U5769524) on Monday, 13th November 2006
A FRIEND IS PLANNING TO VISIT THE UK AND HE WOULD LIKE TO VISIT ROMAN SITES.
DOES ANYONE KNOW OF ANY AMAZING PLACES TO SEE BESIDES BATH.
PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
THANKS.
St Albans has fine remains and Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland
Joxer
There are so many. Where in the UK is your friend planning to visit?
Fishbourne Roman Palace near Chichester in Sussex is a must I think, and you can kill two birds with one stone by visiting the near-by Bignor Roman Villa which has some excellent mosaics and it's also set in some beautiful South Downs countryside.
Application for Sussex Tourist Board firmly in the post now...!
, in reply to message 4.
Posted by thesilverserpent (U1108041) on Monday, 13th November 2006
One of my personal favourites is Wroxeter, a couple of miles outside of Shrewsbury.
, in reply to message 5.
Posted by doctor diamond (U2053921) on Monday, 13th November 2006
Vindolanda, combined with a walk along Hadrian's Wall, is a good day out.
MY FRIEND SAID HE HAD A MONTH TO KILL AND WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW THE BEST SPOTS IN THE UK SO HE CAN PLAN OUT HIS VISIT.
Blimey... well yes, there are various places along Hadrian's Wall - Vindolanda is one of the best. Also Houseteads, the Mithraeum at Carrawburgh, Arbeia at South Shields - which has a reconstructed barrack block and gatehouse - and Segedunum at Wallsend, which includes a working bath-house. The last two are easily accesible from Newcastle on the Metro. The other Hadrian's Wall sites are less accesible without a car (unless your friend is prepared for a long walk).
There's the legionary fortress and amphitheatre at Caerleon in Wales. There's a big Saxon Shore fort down south but I can't for the life of me remember where it is. I expect someone else will know.
It could be the one that's just outside Portsmouth Marina. Rochester, I think.
I would also recommend Cearleon. One of the proposed sites of Camelot, so full of Aurthurian and neo paganism as well as wonderfull Roman remains.
The one near Portsmouth is Portchester. Roman walls with a medieval castle inside in one corner. Impressive place, and has good views over towards the naval docks in Pompey.
If your friend is visiting Caerleon, which has a truly wonderful bath-house and museum, it is essential to see nearby Caerwent which has the best Roman town walls in Britain - plus other excavated remains. Also you're not far from Cirencester and its new Roman museum.
Pevensey Castle, East Sussex is another Roman shore fort with a Norman castle built inside it. There are no other Roman sites near it but obviously it is close to important medieval sites (Hastings battlefield, Battle abbey, Bodiam castle). And what about Richborough in Kent? Most of another shore fort remains but you can also see the ditches that protected Claudius's invasion force and must therefore be the oldest Roman remains in Britain.
TP
, in reply to message 11.
Posted by Anglo-Norman (U1965016) on Monday, 13th November 2006
Hmmm... I'm just trying to think if there's anything worth seeing in Scotland... There isn't really anything above ground at the famous Newstead site, I don't think.
Back down south, Venta Icenorum, just outside Norwich, is one of the few Roman settlements not still in use. There are some nice sections of the late Roman defences still standing. And right in the heart of Boudica country, of course.
To tell the truth, I do not think anything quite matches the extent and completeness of Bath, on one site.
If your friend does go to Northern England, I would recommend Vindolanda, which has nice museum and garden, also Arbeia (South Shields) with extensive excavations and a good museum, though very small. The remains at Wallsend are very thin, in my opinion. It would be better, in my view to call at the Archaeology museum in Newcastle, with lots of inscriptions and altars etc, which is a short walk from the Haymarket metro station.
But I do not think you will find anything with the impact of Bath.
, in reply to message 1.
Posted by arnaldalmaric (U1756653) on Tuesday, 14th November 2006
Joxer,
I'm suprised no one has mentioned York yet, so I will.
While your friend is in the area then
is worth a visit
AA.
, in reply to message 13.
Posted by Anglo-Norman (U1965016) on Tuesday, 14th November 2006
It would be better, in my view to call at the Archaeology museum in NewcastleΒ
Do I take you you mean the Museum of Antiquities? Yup, some nice stuff - but some of the worst labelling you're likely to see in a museum (sorry, but ever since I started my Museum Studies MA at Newcastle Uni I've been very critical of such things ) Also the mannequins are horrible (but the equipment they're wearing is pretty good). Their 'working' Mithraeum is good, though.
, in reply to message 15.
Posted by DrkKtn6851746 (U2746042) on Tuesday, 14th November 2006
Erm, you are to be congratulated on your dedication, A-N, but did you actually look at the salary details on job ads for curators before you started your MA?
Welcome to Middle Britain, anyway.
, in reply to message 15.
Posted by fascinating (U1944795) on Tuesday, 14th November 2006
Anglo-Norman, you are of course correct that it is the Museum of Antiquities (about 200 yards from where I am sitting now). What is wrong with the labelling? I cannot see anything wrong with the mannequins.
, in reply to message 17.
Posted by generallobus (U1869191) on Tuesday, 14th November 2006
re message 10
Cheers Stoggler.
, in reply to message 16.
Posted by Anglo-Norman (U1965016) on Tuesday, 14th November 2006
did you actually look at the salary details on job ads for curators before you started your MA?Β
Yes, I did. It's a job you do for the love of it, I fear
And I do so love PEST analysise
, in reply to message 17.
Posted by Anglo-Norman (U1965016) on Tuesday, 14th November 2006
.
The 'handwriting' style font is a nuisance to read, especially given the high volume of text on some of the labels. There is too much text on some of the labels, and where there is a large volume of text it isn't broken up into seperate paragraphs. In most cases the font is too small - it puts the average visitor off. Some of the labels are obscured by the larger artefacts. Some of the labels are at floor level. Some of them are on the inner side of the case, rather than the back, making them awkward to read.
The mannequins look horribly thin and don't fit the armour well (or rather vice versa) - the legionary in particular has a helmet far too big for his head. He could do with a smaller helmet, or a bit more lining, and a subarmalis to bulk out his lorica wouldn't go amiss either.
Some of the info on the labels is outdated, too - for example, the idea that lorica segmentata was worn by auxiliaries as well as legionaries. And I'm a bit doubtful about a legionary having a cut-down Republican scutum in the late first century - mid, maybe, but not late.
Are you a fellow Newcastle student , then?
, in reply to message 20.
Posted by fascinating (U1944795) on Tuesday, 14th November 2006
I like my museums to be a bit difficult, so that only those who really value the places will wander in! People should onl be allowed into the Museum of Antiquities if they can quote a phrase in Latin!
All right, I am joking (but only partly). I bow to your superior knowledge of the subject - if I was you, I would point out the error regarding the lorica segmentata.
I am not a student, I work in an office in the city. Possibly you have encountered me on my lunch time run through Leazes park and the Town Moor, but there again maybe you did not see me because I go so fast I am just a blur.
, in reply to message 20.
Posted by Tim of Acleah (U1736633) on Tuesday, 14th November 2006
An enjoyable walk is around the walls of Roman Silchester . The remains of some of the archaelogical digs at Silchester are in the Reading Museum.
, in reply to message 15.
Posted by Crystal Clear (U1010754) on Tuesday, 28th November 2006
You want to talk about bad labelling? Try the Cairo museum
Has anyone been to Bath?
If so, is it worth seeing?
Hi Joxer,
Bath is the finest Roman site in Britain and is absolutely not to be missed. The structures are extraordinary. There have been many interesting finds and excavations over the years, which are instructively displayed. If you have a car you could probably also manage the Saxon church at Bradford on Avon on the same day!
Enjoy the visit,
TP
, in reply to message 25.
Posted by Alaric the Goth (U1826823) on Thursday, 11th January 2007
Hardknott Fort, just North of the road across Hardknott Pass in the Lake District, is my favourite Roman site. The fort walls stand to a considerable height in places, and the location, up in the fells, is amazing.
Housesteads is the best fort to visit on the Wall, though the baths-house & bridge abuttment at Chesters are also worth a look, and the well-preserved stretch of Wall on Walltown Crags, a fair way west of Housesteads
The History message boards are now closed. They remain visible as a matter of record but the opportunity to add new comments or open new threads is no longer available. Thank you all for your valued contributions over many years.
or Β to take part in a discussion.
The message board is currently closed for posting.
The message board is closed for posting.
This messageboard is .
Find out more about this board's
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Β© 2014 The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.