The Town House

Find out more about Romano-British urban life at the best preserved example of a Roman Town House in the Country.

The Roman Town House was discovered, almost by chance in 1937 during an archaeological dig. The County Council HAd bought land at Colliton Park to build a new County Hall. The team from the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society found the remains of at least 8 buildings of which the Town House was the most important.

Further work on the site was disturbed by the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, but more recent work on the buildings and mosaics has enabled us to write the story of the building and to imagine more about the people who could have lived here.

The earliest part of the Town House dates from the first part of 4^th Century. The building was expanded and adorned with fine mosaics around AD350. It was probably home to a local Romano-British family whose ancestors had adopted the Roman way of life some 300 years earlier. They may also have owned a farm or Villa nearby, and were most likely involved in the governing council of Durnovaria. 

At the beginning of the 5^th century as the period of Roman influence in Britain came to an end the changes in lifestyle led to a reduction in the size of the house. 

Read more in the guidebook.

Listen to our audio guide (coming soon)