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Footprint Newsroom
| Client: |
English Heritage (West Midlands) |
| Issue date: |
3 March 2011 |
Roman town house
brings bumper half term for Wroxeter Roman City
The newly re-created Roman town house at Wroxeter Roman City has opened to record visitor numbers for Wroxeter Roman City, as people flocked to see the house that featured in Channel 4’s series “Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day”.
Since the town house opened to the public on Saturday 19 February, over 5,500* visitors have wandered along the promenade and into the re-created 4th century house of a rich Roman merchant.
Over the two weekends of the school half term break, visitors were welcomed by a Roman re-enactor, played by historic interpreter, Dave Richardson, adding an extra touch of authenticity to the property.
“The response from the public has been absolutely fantastic, and the house truly has realised our dream of bringing Roman Wroxeter back to life,” says head of visitor operations for English Heritage, Mark Badger. “When people walk around the ruins, I think they often struggle to visualise just how big this Roman city was, but seeing a large house, and knowing that this was literally one of hundreds that would have made up the city, really adds an extra degree of scale to their understanding. No longer is the Wroxeter experience just about two-foot high walls, now you can literally walk round a Roman home!”
The successful launch week bodes well for the property, which has planning permission to remain open at Wroxeter for at least three years. “Given that this building was constructed entirely from traditional materials using traditional techniques, we have no idea how this property will age – and indeed, that is part of the fascinating experience of reconstructing a property in this way. Who knows – if the property stands up to the rigours of the British weather for much longer, it could still be standing in 50 or 100 years!”
Wroxeter Roman City and the Roman Town House is open daily from 10.00am to 5.00pm. Visits to the property are included in the admission price for Wroxeter Roman City, which is currently £4.40 for adults, £3.70 for concessions and £2.20 for children, or £11.00 for a family ticket (two adults and up to three children).
For more information, please call 01743 761330 or visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/wroxeter
ENDS
*covers the period Saturday 19 February to Sunday 27 February.
For further media information, please contact: Jay Commins PRO – English Heritage Tel: 0113 251 5698 Mob: 07810 546567 Email: jay@fim.org.uk
Over the two weekends of the school half term break, visitors were welcomed by a Roman re-enactor, played by historic interpreter, Dave Richardson, adding an extra touch of authenticity to the property.
“The response from the public has been absolutely fantastic, and the house truly has realised our dream of bringing Roman Wroxeter back to life,” says head of visitor operations for English Heritage, Mark Badger. “When people walk around the ruins, I think they often struggle to visualise just how big this Roman city was, but seeing a large house, and knowing that this was literally one of hundreds that would have made up the city, really adds an extra degree of scale to their understanding. No longer is the Wroxeter experience just about two-foot high walls, now you can literally walk round a Roman home!”
The successful launch week bodes well for the property, which has planning permission to remain open at Wroxeter for at least three years. “Given that this building was constructed entirely from traditional materials using traditional techniques, we have no idea how this property will age – and indeed, that is part of the fascinating experience of reconstructing a property in this way. Who knows – if the property stands up to the rigours of the British weather for much longer, it could still be standing in 50 or 100 years!”
Wroxeter Roman City and the Roman Town House is open daily from 10.00am to 5.00pm. Visits to the property are included in the admission price for Wroxeter Roman City, which is currently £4.40 for adults, £3.70 for concessions and £2.20 for children, or £11.00 for a family ticket (two adults and up to three children).
For more information, please call 01743 761330 or visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/wroxeter
ENDS
*covers the period Saturday 19 February to Sunday 27 February.
For further media information, please contact: Jay Commins PRO – English Heritage Tel: 0113 251 5698 Mob: 07810 546567 Email: jay@fim.org.uk