Year round access

The complete circuit of the Roman Town Walls and the amphitheatre of the Roman Town are open to visitors all year round. It is a mile and half walk along the Roman walls and the North Gates and South gates into the Roman Town are well worth a visit. The amphitheatre is located just outside the Roman Town, to the north-east. Although the seating does not survive, the atmosphere does!

Please note: Visits to the Roman Town are not the responsibility of the Department of Archaeology at Reading. The Roman Town is owned by Hampshire County Council under the care of English Heritage, and any queries about opening times and disabled access outside of the summer excavation period should be addressed directly to them. More information can be found on the English Heritage and Hampshire County CoThe Roman town walls at Silchesteruncil websites.

Getting to Silchester by car

The Roman town at Silchester is situated between the M3 and M4 motorways, between Reading and Basingstoke. You can get detailed directions by entering the postcode of your starting direction on the Google Maps website. For sat nav users, the postcode is RG7 2HP.

Parking

There is a Public Car Park located just outside the town walls in Wall Lane and it is a short, 10 minute walk to the heart of the Roman Town from here. If you are bringing a coach, you will need to contact the farmer to raise the car park barrier. The number is on the gate.

See an OS map of Silchester Roman Town showing the position of the car park.

Getting to Silchester by train

The nearest train station to Silchester is Mortimer Station. The excavation is then a two mile walk or taxi journey from the station. There are regular trains (at least twice hourly) from Reading Station to Mortimer and the journey time is approximately 10-15mins. Due to the shifting nature of train times, it is advisable to check the timetables either by visiting the National Rail Enquiries website or calling them on 03457 48 49 50.

Getting to Silchester by bike

Silchester Roman Town is on Sustrans National Route 23 from Reading. This is a mostly on-road route, with a few parts being traffic-free. The route also passes close to Bramley railway station about 5km (3 miles) to the south of Silchester.

Walks in the Silchester area

The countryside around Silchester can be explored on an extensive network of public paths. The Hampshire County Council Exploring Silchester leaflet includes the Silchester Trail.

English Heritage Guidebook: Silchester Roman Town

This new guidebook, authored by Mike Fulford, provides a full tour and history of the site, and brings the story of its rediscovery and excavation up to date. The guidebook is available to order online.