Sunny view, to Water Street, foundations changing room, sweating room, furnace room, warm room, Roman Bath House, Ribchester, UK
Lancashire County Council information boards outline the history of this site. One reads: 'Ribchester Roman Bath-House fell into disuse about AD 225, but it is not clear whether the building was deliberately demolished or left to decay. Since the 1800s there have been several archaeological investigations of this site, the fort and surrounding area. These have provided evidence of pre-Roman occupation, as well as many Roman finds. The excavation conducted at the Bath-House in 1978 was a significant undertaking, involving the removal of over 300 tons of building material and soil. Eleven identifiable coins and about 2500 pottery shards helped to determine that the Bath-House had been commenced about 100 AD. Artefacts brooches, beads, bronze pins, carved stones from rings, other jewellery and coins. These finds suggest the users were relatively well-off men and women. trading connections not only with South Lancashire and others parts of England, but with Gaul (France). Morepver, it was apparent construction had been carried out in at least two phases, the second of which was a major refurbishment some time after the initial work.' A second board reads: 'Small pillars supported the main floor of the Bath-House and allowed hot air and steam to circulate. Steam would warp a timber floor, so the floors were made of waterproof concrete.' The foundations left foreground are the remains of the changing room (Apodyterium); the foundations right mid-distance the sweating room (Sudatorium); the foundations centre background mark out a furnace room; those left background the warm room (Tepidarium). Ribchester was a cavalry fort. A view to Water Street.
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Photo credit: © robert harrison / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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