Ravenglass Roman Bath House

1128 Reviews

Star Travel Rating

4/5

Review type

Things to do

Location

Date of travel

July, 2021

Product name

Product country

Product city

Travelled with

On your own

Reasons for trip

The remains of the bath house of Ravenglass Roman fort are among the tallest Roman structures surviving in northern Britain.

Ravenglass is on the coast at the mouth of three rivers and was probably an important port. In the 1st century AD, the Romans built an earth and timber fort here to guard the harbour. In around 130AD, this was replaced by a a larger more important fort named Glannaventa. It was a naval base as well as the the main supply centre for other forts across the region as far as Hadrian’s Wall. It also shipped out minerals mined in the area.

The fort was in use until the late forth century and was used by a local war lord and his militia after the Romans left Britain.

Much of this fort has been lost from coastal erosion, and the building of the railway. It is on private land and a few earthworks can be seen. Most of the masonry has been used as building stone for Muncaster Castle and Ravenglass village. The bath house was located to the north east of the fort on the side away from the sea, and seems to have been used as a house during medieval times, which may explain why the walls have not been robbed out. In the C19th it was known as Walls castle.

In Roman times this would have been an impressive structure with with a suite of rooms including warm rooms, hot bath and cold plunge pool. Parts of a hypocaust were discovered during excavations in the C19th but have been covered over.

Only part of the bath house survives, including what was possibly a changing room with niches in the walls, which may have housed statues. In places there are still remains of the internal rendering with white and red colouring.

It is well signed from the village and the railway station, and is a short walk along the unclassified road to Muncaster. A wooded footpath runs alongside the road.

The site is open 24 hours and is free.

“Website”:https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/ravenglass-roman-bath-house/

ESW

Join the club

Become a member to receive exclusive benefits

Our community is the heart of Silver Travel Advisor, we love nothing more than sharing ideas, inspiration, hints and tips between us.

Come feel the love on a Princess cruise. You’ll enjoy the MedallionClass experience others simply can’t, and it’s exclusively for everyone. Visit incredible destinations and be involved in the best experiences around each one of them.

Experience more with Princess and connect effortlessly with the world around you, spend time away with loved ones, take a moment for yourself, and fall in love with your holiday of a lifetime, every time.

With over 20 years of experience, Wendy Wu Tours has mastered the art of creating exceptional, fully inclusive tours which showcase the very best of each destination.

Each tour is led by a world-class guide, who will highlight the very best of their homeland, and includes authentic cultural experiences so you are not just seeing the sights, but truly immersing yourself in local life.

Say hello to ease at sea. Ambassador’s purpose is simple: they want to inspire every guest to experience authentic cruising, effortlessly and sustainably. Passionate about protecting our oceans and destinations, their ships comply with the highest industry emission standards and there is no single-use plastic on board.

On your voyage, you will receive the warmest of welcomes from the Ambassador community as you sail upon the friendliest ships afloat.

This is a global co-operative co-owned by local partners using real local experts and guides, which supports local communities, environments and wildlife. It offers travellers quirky places to stay, activity holidays and learning experiences. Not In The Guidebooks gets travellers off the beaten track into local culture with day experiences and longer, immersive adventures.

From wild wellness breaks in Wales to painting in Portugal, sustainable adventures in Mauritius to food safaris in Brazil, this is immersive, exciting travel.

Seabourn’s five intimate ships carry guests to the heart of great cities, exclusive yacht harbours and secluded coves around the world, while two new purpose-built expedition ships will combine exhilarating adventures in remote destinations with the sophisticated amenities of the world’s finest resorts at sea.

From the luxury of all suite accommodations to complimentary fine wines and spirits, and a no tipping policy, Seabourn exemplifies the definition of travelling well.