Towns and daily life
Jewry Wall
A substantial piece of Roman masonry and nearby bath remains anchor the story of Roman Leicester.
The Jewry Wall stands beside the remains of Roman Leicester’s public baths. Its scale offers a striking contrast with the low foundations through which many other urban buildings survive.
The museum presents objects and the history of the town alongside the bathing complex. Mosaics, household material and other finds help connect a public building with the varied lives of people in the surrounding settlement.
Viewing the wall, the excavated plan and the museum’s displays together provides a useful exercise in reconstruction. Which parts of a building survive, which are inferred from traces, and which details have been added to help a modern audience understand it?
What to look for
- Connect the standing wall with the bathhouse plan.
- Compare a mosaic with a smaller object from the town.
- Distinguish ancient remains from the museum’s ways of explaining them.
Plan a visit
Use the official information below for current opening, admission, access and any closures. Details can change with the season. A site plan is useful both before a visit and when reading the remains on the ground.
Sources and further reading
Romans in Britain · People · Places · Learning resources