Letocetum 🇬🇧

You can step back into Roman history at Letocetum, the ancient remains of a Roman settlement located in Wall, Staffordshire, England. Managed by the National Trust as the Letocetum Roman Baths Site & Museum and held in English Heritage's guardianship as Wall Roman Site, this destination reveals the story of a crucial military staging post and posting station. Situated near the historic crossroads of Watling Street and Ryknild Street, the settlement once catered to official couriers, soldiers, and civilians.

When you visit today, you will see the exposed stone foundations of the third mansio (an ancient lodging house) and an adjoining public bath house, both constructed around 130 AD after military function ceased. You can explore the footprint of the mansio, featuring an entrance hall, central courtyard, private accommodation rooms, and a hypocaust-heated chamber. Across a cobbled street, you will discover the public bath complex, where you can view the stoke-room furnaces and underfloor hypocaust pillars (pilae) that once warmed the tepidarium, caldarium, and laconicum.

Visit these foundations to see how Roman travelers rested along ancient Britain's vital road network.

What to see at Letocetum

• Exposed stone foundations of a Roman mansio built around 130 AD
• Public bath house featuring hypocaust underfloor heating pillars (pilae)
• Historic site located at the crossroads of Watling Street and Ryknild Street
• Stoke-room furnace area that once heated the tepidarium, caldarium, and laconicum
• Cobbled Roman street separating the bath complex from the mansio

Visiting tips

Visit during dry weather if you want to spot a rectangular crop-mark in the field northwest of the bath house that may mark a temple site.

How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Dry weather

How to get there & what’s nearby

Letocetum is easy to reach on Lichfield’s public transport. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Lichfield travel guide.