Visitors to Upton Country Park will be invited to travel back in time on Saturday 25 July and discover how the people of Poole lived in Roman times almost 2,000 years ago.
Roman Around, part of the Festival of British Archaeology, will feature Roman storytelling, cookery demonstrations and an archaeological finds surgery, all within the atmospheric setting of an authentically reconstructed home from the time of the Roman occupation.
Roman citizen Lepidina will regale visitors with stories of ancient Rome. Demonstrations of Roman cookery will take place throughout the day, so people can find out what the Romans ate, and even taste samples. There will also be an opportunity to handle artefacts from the period and find out how these are cared for once they are excavated. Visitors can bring along their own finds for identification and find out how best to look after them.
The event, organised by Poole Museum Service, also offers people the chance to see inside a Romano-British home – the only example of its kind in the UK. The dwelling is reproduction of a salt worker’s house from the period excavated on the Isle of Purbeck and has been built using authentic materials.
Cllr Peter Adams, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, Borough of Poole, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for parents and children to enjoy a day out and learn what it would have been like to live thousands of years ago. Poole has a wonderful heritage and days like this encourage people to discover more about the history of the area.”
Roman Around will take place at Upton Country Park on Saturday 25 July between 11am and 3pm. Entry is free and no booking is required.
For more information contact Katie Gardiner on 01202 262607, or email c.gardiner@poole.gov.uk.
Hayley Pope
