Explore Roman town with Reading archaeologist’s guided tour

A University professor is set to deliver a guided tour of the ancient Roman town of Silchester in a trio of talks. 

Starting on 15 March at Reading Museum, the presentations will explore the history of the lost Hampshire settlement. 

Professor Michael Fulford, Director of the Silchester Town Life Project, will provide a window into the origins of the town, life in Silchester, and its eventual abandonment. 

Professor Fulford said: “I have spent five decades excavating Silchester with a brilliant team of archaeologists from the University of Reading. We have discovered many secrets from Silchester, revealing the town to be a place steeped in history. It is very exciting to be able to share the latest results of this research with Reading residents about what life was like 2,000 years ago in a town so close to home.”

2000 years ago, Silchester, just south of Reading near the Hampshire/Berkshire border, was a hub of trade to the Roman world and a capital for the French tribe that controlled the area. The Romans arrived in the mid 1st century AD and the town was eventually abandoned around AD 400. It was never built over, leaving a uniquely preserved settlement primed for investigation. Excavation of the site by a University of Reading archaeological team got underway in 1974.

The first of Professor Fulford’s talks takes place at Reading Museum on Saturday, 15 March, followed by events on Saturday 12 April and Saturday 10 May. All talks start at 11am and are hosted at Victoria Hall, Reading Museum. 

Tickets for the first two talks are now sold out, but limited tickets for the third talk are still available. Book: Talk 3: Silchester: The End of the Roman City

All funds from ticket sales will go to the redevelopment of the Silchester Roman Gallery.