The Roman Bath Public House

The Roman Bath Public House is a pub located in St Sampson's Square in York with a building constructed between 1929 and 1931 using Tudor Revival style and timber framing. Beneath it lie the archaeological remains of a Roman bath house from the first century, now accessible as an underground display.

The Roman bath beneath was built in the first century by the Ninth Legion to serve soldiers at the fortress of Eboracum, the Roman name for York. The building above it was constructed much later in the 1920s, after archaeologists had already uncovered the Roman remains.

The pub brings together a traditional English drinking space with Roman remains displayed below, where visitors can see artifacts and tiles bearing military inscriptions. The combination shows how the Romans shaped this place and how later generations built their own lives on top of it.

The bath house can be visited daily from 11 AM to 4 PM through the pub without requiring a purchase, making it easy for archaeological visitors to access the remains. The underground area is well lit and straightforward to reach for most visitors.

The caldarium, the original Roman hot water pool, lies about 15 feet below the bar counter and still displays the ancient heating systems with heated floors. This in-place example of Roman engineering is rarely preserved in such condition and offers rare insight into how soldiers lived here.

Location: City of York

Address: 9 Saint Sampsons Square, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 8RN

Website: http://sandm.freeserve.co.uk/romanbath

GPS coordinates: 53.96000,-1.08175

Latest update: December 12, 2025 09:01