Silchester, Hampshire, RG7 2HP
Silchester Roman Town Walls & Amphitheatre
Roman
Source image
7.2
Wildland
1–2 hours
Time
Free entry
Cost
Atmospheric
Feel
Why it's Wildland
7.2Calleva Atrebatum began as an Iron Age centre and grew into an important Roman town. Unlike most Roman towns, it was not built over after its abandonment in the 6th or 7th century, leaving an unusually complete archaeological picture and a surviving circuit of town walls.
Silchester earns its place for the rare feeling of reading a Roman town in its landscape: much of the wall circuit survives, and the amphitheatre’s earthworks remain nearby. Its appeal is archaeological rather than polished—expect uneven paths, open ground and a site best explored slowly.
Atmospheric · Ancient-feeling · Peaceful
Find your way
Open mapSilchester, Hampshire, RG7 2HP
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The experience
Follow the surviving town defences and continue to the amphitheatre earthworks. This is an open archaeological site, not a reconstructed Roman town: the interest lies in the scale and layout of what remains, and in the story of a settlement left unbuilt after its abandonment.
Things to do
Follow the surviving town walls
Walk to the remains of the Roman town defences and take in their surviving circuit. English Heritage describes them as among the best-preserved Roman town defences in England.
A few minutes’ walk from the car park to the walls; total visit time varies
Visit the amphitheatre earthworks
Continue to the remains of the amphitheatre. English Heritage estimates a 10-minute walk from the car park and warns that paths around it may be affected by heavy rain.
About 10 minutes’ walk from the car park, plus time to explore
Make a day of it
Quick escape · About 1–2 hours; allow longer if paths are muddy
Quick escape: walls and amphitheatre
- 01
Start from the Silchester Roman Town car park in Wall Lane.
- 02
Walk to the surviving town walls; English Heritage describes them as a few minutes from the car park.
- 03
Continue to the amphitheatre, about a 10-minute walk from the car park, if current path conditions allow.
- 04
Take time to compare the surviving wall circuit with the amphitheatre earthworks.
Half day · Half day
Make a half day of it: explore Calleva at a slower pace
- 01
Begin at the walls and follow the accessible site paths where conditions permit.
- 02
Continue to the amphitheatre earthworks, checking English Heritage’s current warning about paths after heavy rain.
- 03
Pause to consider how the remains preserve evidence of a town that was not built over after its abandonment.
- 04
If visiting on an advertised tour date, check the event organiser’s current details and booking requirements before travelling.
Verified history
Silchester began as Calleva, a centre of the Iron Age Atrebates from the late 1st century BC. After the Roman conquest of AD 43, it developed into the large and important town of Calleva Atrebatum. The town was abandoned in the 6th or 7th century and, unlike most Roman towns, was not reoccupied or built over. Archaeological investigations have therefore been able to reveal an unusually complete picture of its development. The surviving remains include the circuit of Roman walls and the amphitheatre.
Hidden details
The town was not built over — After its abandonment in the 6th or 7th century, Silchester was not reoccupied or built over. This helps explain why archaeological investigations have produced an unusually complete picture of the town’s development.
Look for both forms of defence — The site preserves the circuit of town walls as well as the remains of an amphitheatre. They are distinct features of the visit, with the amphitheatre reached by a longer walk from the car park.
When to go
· Daylight hours; the site is open during reasonable daylight hours.
The supplied sources do not identify a seasonal highlight. Path conditions, rather than a particular season, are the main practical consideration; paths can be uneven and muddy, and heavy rain can affect the amphitheatre approach.
Paths may be uneven or muddy. English Heritage warns that recent heavy rain can affect the stability of paths around the amphitheatre; check its current advice before visiting.
Worth pairing with
Farnham Castle Keep
English Heritage suggests Farnham Castle as a possible wider-day pairing, approximately a 45-minute drive from Silchester. Check current access and tour arrangements before making plans.
Waverley Abbey
English Heritage also suggests Waverley Abbey, approximately a 50-minute drive away, as a possible pairing. Verify current visitor information before travelling.
What to look for
- 01
The surviving circuit of Roman walls
- 02
the amphitheatre earthworks
- 03
how the archaeological remains sit in an open landscape rather than beneath a later town.
The story
Iron Age Atrebates; Roman Britain; archaeology
Best time to go
Daylight visits are possible year-round; drier conditions may make the uneven paths easier to manage. Check current path advice before setting out.
Visit in daylight, as the site is open during reasonable daylight hours. Choose a dry spell if possible, and check English Heritage’s path guidance after heavy rain.
How long to spend
1–2 hours
Perfect for
History lovers · Walkers · Families
Before you go
Address
Phone
Website
Google rating
Practical information
Opening & access
English Heritage says the site is free to enter and open during daylight hours. Access is via a footpath; paths can be uneven and muddy. Check current conditions before visiting, particularly around the amphitheatre, where English Heritage reports that paths may be affected by heavy rain.
Check before visiting
Parking
A charged car park is at Silchester Roman Town in Wall Lane, RG7 2HP, managed by Hampshire County Council. English Heritage says the walls are a few minutes’ walk away and the amphitheatre about a 10-minute walk. Check current charges and conditions before travelling.
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Toilets
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Food & drink
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Dogs
Dogs on leads are welcome. Paths cross land grazed by cattle; follow current site guidance.
Accessibility
English Heritage warns that the approach and site paths can be uneven and muddy. Recent heavy rain may affect paths around the amphitheatre. The source row reports a wheelchair-accessible car park, but does not establish an accessible route around the site; check directly before visiting.
Check before visiting
Cost
Free entry; car parking is charged
Gallery
Place photographsKeep exploring
Around Silchester Roman Town Walls & Amphitheatre
Within 50 km · approximate straight-line distances
