Roman Baths

The museum hidden under a pub – go downstairs and step into the remains of a 2000 year-old Roman bath house – back when York was called Eboracum.

Originally built by the ninth legion around 71 AD and 122 AD, the baths and associated building would have covered an area of around 200 square metres

Only the caldarium (hot room), a single plunge pool and a small section of the frigidarium (cold room) have been excavated.

The baths were first discovered in the 1930s, when the pub above was undergoing renovation.

Later excavations in nearby Swinegate, in 1972, revealed remnants of additional stone buildings – some nearly three metres tall. There are thought to mark the extend of the baths complex.

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A guide will talk you through the history of the site and provide an idea of how this amazing complex would have looked and worked.

The main attraction is the remains of the caldarium and what it tells us about Roman times. The underfloor heating system is clearly visible and there are a number of clues about life in York 2000 years ago

Not much remains of these two facilities and it is thought they fell out of use before the baths themselves closed. However, they still provide another glimpse of the decadence of the Roman era.

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