top of page
We are open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm (Closed Sundays and Mondays)
ROMAN MENDIP
Now open, a new permanent display!
We are excited to announce that a new permanent display at the museum about Roman Mendip is now open. It focuses on the significance of Roman lead mining in the Mendip area, and shows what life was like for the miners, the occupying Romans, and the communities which grew up around the mining.
Lives, locations and the pursuit of lead
A gallery dedicated to exploring the story of Roman Mendip and the people who lived here 2,000 years ago. It focusses on the significance of Roman lead mining in the Mendip area, and aims to show what life was like for the miners, the occupying Romans, and the communities which grew up to support the mining.
The renowned antiquarian and vicar of Camerton, the Reverend John Skinner, recognised Roman activity on Mendip in the early 19th Century, and our starting point has been the archaeological evidence supporting this. Over decades archaeologists associated with the museum have carried out excavations at various local Roman sites, in particular at Green Ore, Priddy, and at Hole Ground, Wookey Hole village. Twenty years ago BBC’s Time Team carried out a limited programme of work for its ‘Big Roman Dig’ at Charterhouse.
The Romans were on Mendip just a few decades after they invaded, and when they withdrew over 400 years later they left a country changed forever. Our new display will reflect on their time here, and how life continued after they ended direct rule.
More recently community archaeologists have been excavating local Roman sites, supported and advised by professionals. Their work has been incredibly thorough, bringing new material to light and creating new insights. All this historical and contemporary exploration informs the new display.
Roman lead ingot from Westbury-sub-Mendip
The museum is excited to exhibit a Roman lead ingot or ‘pig’ that was found at Westbury-sub-Mendip in 2016.
This ingot is special for several reasons. It is precisely datable, it is further evidence of Roman lead mining at Charterhouse-on-Mendip, and it indicates previously unrecognised significant Roman activity at Westbury.
It carries the inscription ‘IMP DVOR AVG ANTONINI ET VERI ARMENIACORVM’ which translates as the ‘property of the two August Emperors Antoninus and Verus, conquerors of Armenia’. We know that the Roman emperors Marcus Aurelius (Antoninus) and Lucius Verus ruled jointly between 164 and 169 AD.
The ‘pig’ is made from lead mined at Charterhouse. As well as the mines there was a Roman town here, which included a small amphitheatre. The mines supplied lead and silver that was exported from Mendip to other parts of the empire. The lead was used to make water pipes and coffins, and as a component of pewter.
Also found nearby was a hoard of 89 Roman Radiate coins, some of which are also on display. The ingot and the coins point to a significant Roman presence in the area and work continues by the Westbury Society Archaeology Group to understand this better.
The ingot is on loan from the South West Heritage Trust. Its acquisition is dedicated to the memory of Barry Lane (1944-2017), former Curator of the museum who was passionate about uncovering the rich history of his home village, Westbury.
bottom of page