Roman museums in Warwickshire
Two thousand years ago, two of the greatest roads in Roman Britain crossed the Midlands through what is now Warwickshire - the Fosse Way and Watling Street. They were arteries of an empire that stretched from Exeter to the Antonine Wall. Along these routes marched legions, merchants and, in AD 60-61, a defeated queen's army on its final retreat. The county they crossed has never quite forgotten them. From a reconstructed cavalry fort to a treasure-filled town hall in Alcester and a village church that may stand within earshot of the most decisive battle in Roman Britain, Warwickshire's Roman story is older, deeper and more dramatic than you might expect.
Friends of Atherstone Heritage
Location: Atherstone
Address: 51 Long Street, Atherstone, CV9 1AZ
Speciality: Roman artefacts and local history
Among the local history on display, the museum connects Atherstone's story to the Roman road of Watling Street - one of the great arteries of Roman Britain - which ran directly through the town and shaped its earliest history. Entry is free. Check opening times at Friends of Atherstone Heritage.
Lunt Roman Fort
Location: Coventry
Address: Coventry Road, Baginton, CV8 3AJ
Speciality: Roman Fort
Built in the immediate aftermath of Boudica's defeat, the Lunt is one of the most extraordinary Roman sites in Britain. The Royal Engineers partially reconstructed the timber fort - its gateway, granary and ramparts using authentic Roman techniques. The site is worth a visit for one unique feature - its gyrus, a circular ring designed for training cavalry horses seized from the defeated Iceni. An exhibition in the granary tells the story of the fort and its place in the Roman occupation of the Midlands. Open during selected school holiday dates; pre-booking required.
More information can be found at Lunt Roman Fort.
Roman Alcester Museum
Location: Alcester
Address: Town Hall, Alcester, B49 5QU
Speciality: Roman archaeology and artefacts from one of England's most excavated Roman towns
Alcester is one of the most archaeologically investigated Roman small towns in England, with more than a hundred digs carried out over the past eight decades, and the Roman Alcester Museum presents the finest results of that extraordinary programme of excavation. Housed in the town's handsome 18th century Town Hall, the free collection includes pottery, jewellery, coins, tools, and structural remains that paint a vivid picture of daily life in the Romano-British settlement of Alauna. Hands-on activities make the collection accessible to younger visitors, while the quality and diversity of the finds - many uncovered in rescue digs ahead of modern development - give the museum genuine scholarly importance alongside its public appeal.
Roman Mancetter and Boudica Heritage Centre
Location: Mancetter
Address: St Peter's Church, Mancetter, CV1 1NH
This quiet north Warwickshire village sits close to the site of the final Battle of Watling Street, where Boudica's rebellion was crushed by the Roman army in AD 60-61. The exhibition, housed in St Peter's Church, draws on historical accounts and archaeological evidence to build the case, and includes a Roman Walk taking visitors through the visible traces of the fort and settlement that once stood here.
Open seasonally from April, normally on Saturdays; check Roman Mancetter and Boudica Heritage Centre for opening times.
Rugby Art Gallery & Museum
Location: Rugby
Address: Little Elborow Street, Rugby, CV21 3BZ
Speciality: Art, local history, Roman archaeology and the World Rugby Hall of Fame
Rugby Art Gallery & Museum houses permanent displays that chart Rugby's story from Roman times to the present day. The Tripontium Gallery showcases artefacts from the nearby Romano-British town of Tripontium - laid out in the style of a Roman marketplace.
Warwickshire's museums - find your story
Warwickshire's museums span two thousand years of history, from Roman cavalry forts and medieval abbeys to the birthplace of rugby and the workshop of the world's greatest playwright. There is far more to explore than any single visit can cover and discover our broad choice of museums.