Roman City Walls
Remains of the Roman City Walls of Verulamium.
The Roman City walls were constructed around AD 275. They were built over a previous earthwork defence, which had never been completed. The wall was over 3 m (10 ft) thick at foundation level and over 2 m (7 ft) thick higher up. It was built from flint, brick, flint rubble and mortar. Today the original facing of squared flints has gone and what can be seen is in fact the core of the wall. In total, the completed wall measured 3.6 km (2 1/4 miles) and enclosed an area of 82 ha. (203 acres).
Excavation of the London Gate, 1930.
The picture on the right shows the London Gate during excavations led by Sir Mortimer Wheeler in 1930. Large gateways controlled the four main entrances to the town. The best preserved of these is the London Gate on the south side of the town, straddling Watling Street. The excavated foundations of this gateway are open to view in Verulamium Park. The remains of the walls and the London Gate stand a short walk from Verulamium Museum.
