Virtually 2,000 years have handed because the Romans established Londinium on the banks of the Thames, however centuries on, you may nonetheless spot Roman websites in London among the many trendy metropolis.
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In case your children are learning Historic Rome in school – otherwise you’re merely slightly bit fascinated by what the Romans did for us – there’s loads of likelihood to find Roman London with children.
From the most effective museums on Roman historical past to historic partitions, temples, baths and amphitheatre, and a strolling path to observe, right here’s the place to seek out the most effective Roman websites in London.
The Roman metropolis partitions
The 2-mile wall stretching round Londinium was one of many largest development initiatives carried out in Roman Britain, together with Hadrian’s Wall and the community of roads.
With a couple of medieval additions, the partitions fashioned the boundary of the Metropolis of London for hundreds of years – and even stopped the Nice Hearth of London spreading any additional than it did.
Two of the simplest sections to identify are by the previous Museum of London web site on London Wall and the Tower of London, the place it’s also possible to spy a statue of the emperor Trajan in entrance of the stone and tile wall, inbuilt 200AD.
For one of many oldest items, head to St Alphage Backyard, not removed from Moorgate tube and the Guildhall. A part of a Roman fort, it was integrated into town wall. You can even see ruins of the Roman fort on Noble Road and London Wall.
London Mithraeum
One of the vital spectacular Roman websites in London is the London Mithraeum. Hidden for hundreds of years till it was rediscovered in 1954 at a Second World Struggle bomb web site, the Roman temple of Mithras was based within the third century by the Walbrook, one in all London’s misplaced rivers.
And in 2017, the reconstructed temple was reopened in its unique underground web site, beneath Bloomberg’s European Headquarters at 12 Walbrook.
In addition to interactive shows on the men-only Roman cult, there’s info geared toward children. It’s free to enter however prebooking tickets is suggested.
Try my mini information to Roman London for youths
Billingsgate Roman Home and Baths
Everybody is aware of the Romans beloved their baths – most famously in Tub itself, though we’ve additionally seen reconstructed ones at Chester and there are others at Roman websites across the UK.
So there’s no shock that the residents of Londinium had their very own public bathhouses, whereas the rich loved non-public baths hooked up to their home – utilizing both was as a lot of a social event as an opportunity to get clear.
And you may nonetheless go to the Billingsgate Roman Bathhouse at 101 Decrease Thames Road, tucked away within the basement of an workplace block, with the stays of a number of of the completely different rooms – the chilly frigidarium, the tepidarium and the warmer caldarium the place iron scrapers referred to as strigils would take away the dust and sweat, with perfumed oils utilized.
The positioning is generally open to the general public on Saturdays between April and November (appropriate for youths aged 8+ solely). Or you may take a digital tour of the baths.
The London Museum
EDIT: The museum is now briefly closed till reopening in its new web site at Smithfield in late 2026
Whereas the London Museum (previously the Museum of London) isn’t a selected Roman web site itself, it’s simply the most effective locations to find Roman London with children.
The museum has the most effective collections to find out about Roman Londinium, with every part from fashions to mosaics, info on day by day life in addition to jewelry and the tombstone of a Roman soldier. And that’s only for starters.
You’ll be able to see a teenage skeleton, a lady who began life in north Africa however travelled to Londinium not less than 4 years earlier than her loss of life, and who can hint her ancestors to the fringes of the Roman empire. There’s additionally a stone inscription that includes the primary identified use of the time period Londoners – or ‘Londiniensi‘.
For extra free issues to do in London with children, try this publish
Go to an amphitheatre
Life within the Roman Empire wasn’t all the time simple, however the Romans famously knew easy methods to have a great time – which was why consultants have been puzzled to not discover the stays of Londinium’s amphitheatre on this essential metropolis.
Till 1988, when Museum of London archaeologists participating in a dig earlier than a brand new Artwork Gallery constructing challenge, found it, hidden in Guildhall Yard, subsequent to town’s historic Guildhall.
A black line within the courtyard follows the define of the amphitheatre beneath, so you may hint it earlier than you discover, to get a good suggestion of the scale.
Solely a bit stays (don’t look forward to finding the Colosseum tucked away beneath London’s streets) however the intelligent shows assist transport you again to the time when wild animal fights and gory gladiatorial video games have been the easiest way to spend your free time.
It’s free to enter as effectively.
Stroll alongside the Thames
The river has been on the coronary heart of London since its earliest days, and I nonetheless consider that no go to to town is full and not using a stroll alongside the Thames.
Roman artefacts have been dug up on its banks by archaeologists and mudlarks for hundreds of years, together with an oil lamp and bone hair pin throughout the previous decade alone, because the tides and wakes of the boat visitors fire up the silt.
In direction of Southwark, an amphora containing fish sauce was discovered, marked with the phrases ‘Lucius Tettius Africanus wonderful fish sauce’ – empty aside from a couple of fish bones.
It’s right here too that the unique London Bridge would have crossed the river. The Romans constructed the picket development in 55AD, main from Londinium to what’s now Southwark.
A brief distance from the present London Bridge, it stretched from close to the church of St Magnus the Martyr to Hay’s Wharf (and in the present day’s Hay’s Galleria) on the south financial institution.
See a Roman Highway
If you happen to had crossed the bridge from Roman Londinium throughout the Thames, you’d have discovered your self firstly of roads resulting in the south coast, a part of Rome’s well-known community.
One of many roads handed straight by means of the purpose the place Southwark Cathedral stands in the present day and as you exit the constructing, you may look all the way down to see a bit of street courting again to the first century AD.
Excavations additionally unearthed Roman objects in a effectively, together with statues and a part of a tombstone. Beforehand on show on the Cuming Museum, now you can see them on-line.
Spot a part of a Roman wharf
If you happen to stroll down Fish Road Hill, you’re within the coronary heart of Londinium, presumably on one of many earliest streets in Roman London.
And in addition to following the trail to the unique London Bridge, you may even discover a timber from a Roman wharf – or doubtlessly even the Roman bridge – on the church of St Magnus the Martyr.
The church is house to a number of historic sections of earlier London Bridges, together with medieval stones and an 18th century archway, and contained in the arch sits the timber, thought thus far again to 75AD and located on Fish Road Hill.
Discover the Walbrook
The Thames wasn’t the one river which Roman Londinium was depending on – the primary supply of water for the unique settlement was the River Walbrook.
Considered one of London’s ‘misplaced rivers’ it nonetheless flows deep beneath town, though the stream itself has lengthy been constructed over. However you may nonetheless stroll alongside its route, flowing alongside the trail of in the present day’s Curtain street in direction of Finsbury Circus all the way down to the Thames between Southwark and Cannon Road bridges.
At Cannon Road, make a slight detour to no 111 the place you’ll discover the London Stone, a block of limestone which is believed thus far again to Roman occasions, presumably used as a distance marker.
A string of legends have grown up round it, together with the one saying that if the stone is eliminated, London will fall (though conservationists took the chance when it was moved briefly to the London Museum a couple of years again and fortunately town nonetheless appears to be standing).
The Temple of Mithras additionally lies alongside the trail of the Walbrook, so you may mix each. It’s across the river’s path that the newest discoveries have been discovered, together with a fresco at Liverpool Road Station and an early Roman web site with an astonishing 14,000 plus artefacts.
British Museum
If you wish to perceive Londinium’s place within the Roman Empire, head to the British Museum, which traces 1,000 years of Rome’s historical past, from its legendary founding to Emperor Constantine’s creation of his new capital of Constantinople, and the start of the autumn of the empire.
There’s additionally a separate room on Roman Britain – take a digital tour of this gallery right here – and most excitingly for youths in London, a gladiator’s helmet present in Suffolk, in addition to one other introduced from Pompeii.
However it’s also possible to spot every part from on a regular basis particulars, such because the meals eaten in Roman Britain and the sports activities they’d have watched, such because the statue of a well-known discus thrower, together with jewelry and gold.
Leadenhall Market
No Roman metropolis was full with out its Discussion board – greater than a market, this was the guts of Roman society, with main temples and authorities buildings just like the basilica round it too.
And Londinium’s Discussion board is believed to have been the biggest one north of the Alps, a centre for commerce that Roman historian Tacitus referred to as “a lot frequented by quite a lot of retailers and buying and selling vessels”. The basilica alone was greater than St Paul’s Cathedral is in the present day.
Little stays however the web site has saved its outdated objective and is now the situation of Leadenhall Market: you’ll have to make use of your creativeness as you wander – there’s solely the bottom of an arch to be seen in a basement of a hairdresser’s on the nook of Gracechurch Road and Leadenhall Market, if workers are completely satisfied to point out you.
WATCH THIS SPACE! A brand new web site has additionally been uncovered by archaelogists digging close by on Gracechurch Road, who’ve discovered a bit of stone wall from town’s first basilica in early 2025, courting again to round 70-80CE. There are plans to include this right into a basement customer centre, though you’ll have to attend a short time till it’s open to the general public.
If you happen to’re searching for Roman London with children who’re additionally Harry Potter followers, the market doubled as Diagon Alley for an added excuse to go to.
Discover the positioning of a Roman temple
Whereas a lot of the Roman buildings in London are concentrated across the Metropolis of London and Southwark, in case you enterprise slightly approach south-east of the centre, you’ll find the stays of a Roman temple in Greenwich Park.
Considered a Romano-Celtic temple, courting from earlier than 100AD it could have been near the primary street of Watling Road, working to Kent and is believed to have been used till the Romans left Britain within the fifth century.
In addition to tessellated flooring and pavements, a 1999 dig discovered a part of an inscription to Jupiter and the spirits of the Emperor, in addition to cash.
There’s not an enormous quantity to see any extra, however what’s left is protected behind railings on Temple Stroll within the japanese facet of the park.
For extra issues to do in Greenwich with children, try my high picks
Observe a Roman strolling tour
Though it’s simple to create your personal strolling tour, or group collectively completely different Roman websites in London, it’s also possible to observe this instructed Stroll Roman London route, taking you previous among the key areas.
There’s additionally a shortcut part-way by means of in case you’re exploring Roman London with children and need a better choice, or to separate the stroll into two sections.
As a bonus, in case you enterprise west from Roman Londinium, you may spot the statue of Boudica in the course of Westminster Bridge. Not itself a Roman web site, however in case you’re fascinated by Roman historical past, you may’t miss this depiction of one in all their biggest enemies, the Queen of the Iceni who burned Londinium throughout her revolt.
For extra Roman locations to go to within the UK, try my decide of the highest websites throughout the nation.
Roman London with children: studying and actions
To assist carry Roman London to life, in addition to studying extra in regards to the Roman Empire, I’ve rounded up among the finest books and actions that my daughter loved.
Horrible Histories are all the time a enjoyable and simple approach for youths to study extra in regards to the previous, and there’s each Ruthless Romans and Rotten Romans within the assortment. Or So You Assume You’ve Bought It Unhealthy: A Child’s Life in Historic Rome is one other enjoyable strategy to make historical past really feel actual (who fancies washing garments in wee?), created in collaboration with the British Museum.
Try some extra of the most effective children’ books about Rome right here too
DK Discover Out Historic Rome is filled with details about Roman life, whereas A Customer’s Information to Historic Rome can also be full of knowledge on on a regular basis life, from fashions to festivals and crucial buildings.
The Story of Rome is one other good overview of the historical past of the Roman Empire, and to study extra in regards to the beliefs of Historic Rome, this ebook of Roman Myths has background on legends in addition to gods and goddesses, all geared toward children.
For wannabe centurions (and gladiators), try So You Wish to be a Roman Soldier, together with easy methods to care on your sandals and function a catapult, and the extra in-depth Roman Soldier’s Handbook.
There’s additionally this Sticker Romans ebook, with info on life within the Roman Empire in addition to loads of completely different outfits to play with. The Horrible Histories collection additionally has a Rotten Romans sticker ebook.
For extra uncommon issues to do in London with children, try my decide of the most effective
PIN FOR LATER: THE BEST ROMAN SITES IN LONDON
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Museum of London pictures copyright MummyTravels, all others courtesy Depositphotos
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