Roman Ditches Unearthed Beneath Bath Assembly Rooms Reveal Artifacts

Restoration work on the Georgian Bath Assembly Rooms, a historic venue once frequented by Jane Austen, has uncovered a previously unknown network of Roman ditches beneath the north side of the building. Archaeologists working on the project discovered a series of shallow trenches that date to the Roman period, yielding a collection of artifacts that includes pottery shards, metal coins, fragments of glassware and a piece of a Roman military helmet.

The finds provide new insight into the layout and daily life of Bath’s Roman suburb, indicating a settled community that existed alongside the famous Roman baths. The pottery and glass suggest domestic activity, while the coins and helmet fragment point to a mixed civilian‑military presence. The discovery adds a significant layer to the city’s archaeological record and will be documented as part of the ongoing conservation of the Assembly Rooms, enriching the historical narrative of both the Georgian and Roman eras in Bath.