Roman Town House, Dorchester
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox historic site
| name = Roman Town House
| image = Roman Town House, Dorchester.jpg
| caption = The Roman Town House ruins
| locmapin = Dorset
| coordinates = {{coord|50.7174|-2.441|display=inline,title}}
| location = Colliton Park, Dorchester, Dorset
| built = {{circa|307 AD}}
| area = Durnovaria
| governing_body = Dorset Museum
| designation1 = Grade I Listed Building
| designation1_date = 8 May 1950{{National Heritage List for England|num=1210098|desc=Roman House|access-date=4 September 2023}}
| designation1_number = 1210098
| designation2 = Scheduled monument
| designation1_offname = Roman House
| designation2_offname = Colliton Park Roman house
| designation2_date = 18 May 1938{{National Heritage List for England|num=1002721|desc=Colliton Park Roman house|access-date=4 September 2023}}
| designation2_number = 1002721
| owner = Dorset Council
}}
The Roman Town House in Dorchester is a Roman ruin within Colliton Park, Dorchester, Dorset, England. Dorset County Council acquired Colliton Park in 1933 as the site for the construction of County Hall. The Town House was discovered in 1937/38 during an archaeological investigation carried out by the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society prior to the construction of the new building. Plans for County Hall were modified so that the Town House could be retained on site.
The Town House is a scheduled monument and a Grade I listed building. It is bounded on the north and west sides by North Walk and West Walk which are also scheduled monuments having the remains of the Roman ramparts of the town just below surface level.
Built around 307 AD and extended in 341 AD, the Town House has two principal ranges of rooms. The South Range comprising rooms 1–7 survives in the plan form of flint and stone walls on the grass covered site. The West Range comprising rooms 8–18 was mosaic floored. This range was re-excavated and provided with a steel and glass cover building with a stone tiled roof all perched on the original foundations between 1996 and 1999.
Public access
The site is owned by Dorset Council and the grounds are free to visit. Dorset Museum manage events and provide access to the inside of the structure on tours.{{Cite web |title=Roman Town House - Dorset Council |url=https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/libraries-history-culture/local-history-heritage/roman-town-house/roman-town-house |access-date=2023-03-29 |website=www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk}}{{Cite web |title=Roman Town House |url=https://www.dorsetmuseum.org/romantownhouse/ |access-date=2023-03-29 |website=Dorset Museum |language=en-GB}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Dorchester Roman Town House}}
- [https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/libraries-history-culture/local-history-heritage/roman-town-house/roman-town-house Official website for the Roman Town House]
{{Authority control}}
Category:Houses completed in the 4th century
Category:Buildings and structures in Dorchester, Dorset
Category:Grade I listed buildings in Dorset