The Roman Bath Public House

The Roman Bath Public House is a historic pub on St Sampson's Square in the city of York, England. It is best known for being built directly above an ancient Roman bath house, the remains of which can be viewed inside the building. The present pub was erected between 1929 and 1931, replacing an earlier inn, and its exterior features Tudor Revival details including applied half-timbering. The building is Grade II* listed, a designation it received in 1954, relatively early for an interwar pub, largely because of the Roman ruins beneath it. The bath house is believed to have served the military personnel of Eboracum, the Roman fortress at York. Tiles discovered at the site are marked with the identities of specific legions, and the Ninth Legion may have constructed the facility. The caldarium and some other features of the baths are visible, though much of the complex remains unexcavated. The site lies within York's walled city, designated an Area of Archaeological Importance under the 1979 Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act. The pub operates as a commercial hospitality venue and also functions as a small museum. The York Roman Bath Museum is open daily from 11am to 4pm, with an admission charge for adults and concession rates. The Roman Bath is a rare example of a working pub that doubles as an archaeological display, and it is listed among York's notable historic buildings.

The Roman Bath Public House stands on St Sampson's Square in York, a site with deep Roman roots. The ancient bath house beneath the pub is believed to have served the military personnel of Eboracum, the Roman fortress at York. The fortress was built in the 1st century AD to house a legion of about 5,000 men. Tiles discovered at the bath house site are marked with the identity of specific legions, and the Ninth Legion may have constructed the facility; the last attested activity of the Ninth in Britain is in AD 108. Baths dating from the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD have been excavated at Tanner Row on the other side of the River Ouse, and these are believed to have served the civilian population of York. The present pub was erected between 1929 and 1931, replacing an earlier inn. During building work, the Roman remains were uncovered. The exterior of the pub has Tudor Revival features, including applied half-timbering. The building was listed as Grade II* in 1954, relatively early for a pub from the interwar period, suggesting that the existence of the Roman ruins was the main reason for listing. The caldarium and some other features of the baths are visible inside the pub. Some of the other facilities would have been outside the corner site occupied by the pub, and much of the baths have yet to be excavated. The site as a whole is protected through its location within the walled city of York, designated as an 'Area of Archaeological Importance' (AAI) under Part 2 of the 1979 Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act. The York Roman Bath Museum is open daily from 11am to 4pm, with admission for adults and concession rates. The pub remains an active hospitality venue and a rare example of a working pub that incorporates a Roman archaeological display.

• 1954

  The pub is listed as Grade II*, relatively early for an interwar pub.

• 1931

  The present pub is completed; Roman remains uncovered during building work.

• 1929

  Construction of the present pub begins, replacing an earlier inn.

Historic pub and archaeological attraction in central York

• Pub food and drinks

• York Roman Bath Museum admission

1. 1Wikidata entry for The Roman Bath Public Housewikidata.org
2. 2Wikipedia: Roman Bath, Yorken.wikipedia.org