Museums with Roman Collections & Contact Details
Museum
Armitt Trust Museum
& Library Ambleside
The Beacon,
Whitehaven
Roman Collection/Objects
Bulk material (part of archive of
Ambleside Roman Fort
excavation by R G
Collingwood). Also Roman
material collected in and around
Ambleside. Collection mainly
consists of Samian sherds but
also includes locally produced
pottery, leather and glass
(especially window glass).
The collection includes Roman
glass phial and knife handle
from Hardknott. There is also a
cooking pot from Moresby, floor
tiles from Ravenglass and
pottery sherds.
Size
Large but mainly
fragmentary
Significance
Roman material from
Galava (Ambleside) is
of regional sig.
Contact Details
Armitt Library and Museum
Centre, Rydal Road, Ambleside,
LA22 9BL
Collections Manager: Tanya
Flower
Tel: 01539 431212
info@armitt.com
Medium
Glass bottle from
Hardknott is most sig.
item
The Beacon, West Strand,
Whitehaven, CA28 7LY
Tel:01946 592 302
Curator: Michelle Kelly
m.kelly@copelandbc.gov.uk
Education Officer: Alan Gillon
a.gillon@copelandbc.gov.uk
Blackburn Museum &
Art Gallery
The collection mainly consists
of Roman coins (part of the
Hart collection) and unprovenanced items. There is
also however, a Roman Cavalry
tombstone that is currently on
long-term loan to Ribchester
Museum.
Large number of
Roman coins. Very
little other material
Good Roman bronze
coins (RE Hart
Collection) of regional
significance. Cavalry
tombstone is also of
regional significance.
Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery,
Museum Street, Blackburn, BB1
7AJ
Tel:01254 667 130
Museum Director: Paul Flintoff
paul.flintoff@blackburn.gov.uk
1
Museum
Bolton Museums &
Art Gallery*
Central
Museum, AG
& Aquarium
Roman Collection/Objects
Collection includes Roman
coins. Roman objects from
excavations in Warwickshire &
Derbyshire. Also Roman
objects from Cirencester
Size
Medium
Significance
Contact Details
Bolton Museum & Art Gallery, Le
Mans Crescent, Bolton, BL1 1SE
Tel: 01204 332211
Keeper of Egypt. & Arch: Tom
Hardwick
tom.hardwick@bolton.gov.uk
Keeper of Social History:
Daniel Smith
dan.smith@bolton.gov.uk
Bury Art Gallery and
Museum
Yes – V. small collection of
Roman objects consisting of
part of the Throstle Hill Hoard–
includes silver bangle.
Small
Carlisle City
Museums
Tullie House
Museum & Art
Gallery
Roman archaeology relating to
Cumbria and Hadrian’s Wall
(Birdoswald, Stanwix & Burgh
by Sands). Also material from
Hardknott (check details with
Curator) and Ravenglass. Star
objects include the Carlisle
writing tablets, the Staffordshire
Moorlands Pan and a collection
of medical and toilet
instruments. There are also a
number of leather objects such
as shoes etc.
Extensive
Bury Art Gallery & Museum, Moss
Street, Bury, BL9 0DR
Tel: 0161 253 5878
Curator: Alison Green
a.j.green@bury.gov.uk
Very strong collection
of regional/national sig.
There is a range of
material relating to
military and civilian life,
including coins. There
is also an
internationally sig.
collection of stonework
connected to the
Roman Frontiers
Heritage Site.
Tullie House Museum & Art
Gallery, Tullie House, Castle
Street, Carlisle CA3 8TP
Tel:01228 534 781
Keeper of Human History:
Tim Padley
timp@carlisle-city.gov.uk
2
Museum
Cheshire, Museums
Service
The Salt Museum
Cheshire Museums
Service
Grosvenor Museum
Roman Collection/Objects
The collection includes the
Northwich Roman Cavalry
Helmet, objects relating to
Roman salt making, tiles from
Middlewich, jewellery, the
remains of a Roman camp stool
and a number of complete
Samian ware bowls. A number
of objects are on loan to
Middlewich Library including a
very interesting hoard of 30
silver denarii, a camping stool
and a replica of the Middlewich
Diploma
Size
Medium –
Significance
Regional, possibly
national sig. in relation
to Roman salt making.
Contact Details
The Salt Museum, 162 London
Road Northwich CW9 8AB
Tel: 01606 41331
Heritage and Museums Officer:
Emma Chaplin
emma.chaplin@cheshire.gov.uk
Collection consists of sculpted
and engraved stones, including
a Sarmatian altar-stone,
ceramics coins and metal work
(especially jewellery).
Extensive
Inscribed and sculpted
stones are of
international
significance
Grosvenor Museum, 27
Grosvenor Street, Chester, CH1
2DD
Tel: 01244 402008
Museum and Education
Manager: Sue Hughes
e-mail:
susan.hughes@chester.gov.uk
Cheshire, Museum
Service
Warrington Museum
& Art Gallery
Roman objects from
Wilderspool, Warrington &
Meols. The collection consists
of a range of interesting objects
including feeding bottles, a salt
pan and an extensive collection
of complete Samian ware
vessels and other ceramic
types.
Large
Wilderspool objects
provide evidence of
pottery, glass, jewellery
and ironware
manufacturing from the
2nd century AD., a
unique Roman actors’
mask of international
significance and a
wood plane that may be
the only one of its kind
in the country. (Tim
Padley pers. com.)
Museum St, Cultural Quarter,
Warrington, WA1 1JB
Tel: 01925 442 733
Collections Access Manager:
Craig Sherwood
c.sherwood@warrington.gov.uk
Collections Access Manager:
Michelle Hill
m.hill@warrington.gov.uk
3
Museum
Cheshire, Museum
Service
Size
Small
Nantwich Museum
Roman Collection/Objects
Mainly objects relating to the
Roman salt industry in
Cheshire, including a Roman
burial urn.
Cheshire Museum
Service,
Middlewich Library
Roman objects on loan from
Salt Museum – on display (see
Salt Museum for details)
V. Small display
Significance
Items of local and
regional sig.
Contact Details
Nantwich Museum, Pillory Street,
Nantwich, CW5 5BQ
Tel: 01270 627104
Curator: Mrs Susan Pritchard
nantwich.museum@virgen.net
Local/regional
Middlewich Library, Lewin Street,
Middlewich, Cheshire, CW10 9AS
Tel: 01606 832801
Fax: 01606 833336
Email:
middlewich.library@cheshire.gov.u
k
Harris Museum & Art
Gallery, Preston
Roman coin hoards from
Brindle, Kirkham, Worden,
Fishergate Hill, and parts of the
Hackensall and Rossall,
hoards. Some objects from
Ribchester Roman Fort
including a horses bridle and
shoe leather and material from
the Roman settlement at
Walton-le-Dale. Walton-le-Dale
was initially an industrial site
and supply depot producing
military hardware but later its
use was changed to the storage
of materials and foodstuffs.
Medium/large over 200 objects
Coin hoards are of
regional sig.
Harris Museum & Art Gallery,
Market Square, Preston, PR1
2PP
Tel: 01772 258 248
Keeper of Social History: Emma
Heslewood
l.briggs@preston.gov.uk
e.l.heslewood@preston.gov.uk
4
Museum
Lake District Art
Gallery & Museum
Trust
Kendal
Museum of
Natural
History &
Archaeology
Roman Collection/Objects
Roman finds from Watercrook
Fort, Ambleside and Low
Borrowbridge. Highlights of the
collection include: a face jar,
disc brooches, surgeons
instruments, shoe leather, a
spiked caltrop and cremation
urns from Ambleside and
Tebay.
Size
Large
Significance
Collection is of regional
significance
Contact Details
Kendal Museum of Natural
History and Archaeology, Station
Road Kendal LA9 6BT
Tel: 01539 721 374
Curator: Morag Clement
info@kendalmuseum.org
5
Lancashire County
Museum Service
Museum of
Lancashire
Rossendale Museum
Of particular importance is the
material related to the
Ribchester Roman Bathhouse
(see separate record), which
comprises pottery shards, tiles
and brick amongst other
excavated material.
Star objects incude; a Pilum,
Roman tent pegs, gaming
pieces and a coin hoard from
Waddington. There is also
some material from Kirkam.
Includes a small number of
Roman coins and some
ceramics (not local)
Medium
Objects from
Ribchester of regional
sig.?
Museum of Lancashire, Stanley
Street Preston PR1 4YP
Tel: 01772 264 075
Speak to Dot Bruns (Finds
Liason Officer)
dot.bruns@mus.lancscc.gov.uk
Curator: Stephen Bull
Stephen.Bull@mus.lancscc.gov.u
k
Small
Rossendale Museum, Whitaker
Park, Rawtenstall, Rossendale,
BB4 6RE
Tel: 01706 218858
Curator: Sandra Cruise
rossendalemuseum@btconnect.c
om
6
Museum
Lancaster City
Museums*
Lancaster Museum
Roman Collection/Objects
Size
Significance
Contact Details
Material from excavations in
Lancaster and Burrow-inLonsdale, including 500 coins,
stamped roof tiles, surgical
forceps, bronze scales and a
nice collection of Roman
jewellery. The Museum is also
about to receive the recently
excavated tombstone of a
Roman cavalryman.
Medium/large full
extent is not known
Objects are of local and
regional sig.
Lancaster City Museum,
Lancaster City Museum Market
Square, Lancaster LA1 1HT
Tel: 01524 64637
Curator: Heather Dowler
heather.dowler@mus.lancscc.gov
.uk
Roman Bath House
Roman material excavated from
site.
Small
Manchester Art
Gallery
The collections contains very
little object information or
context. Some v. interesting
items including toilet sets and
stamps (not on display)
Small
Museum of Science
& Industry* Manchester
Roman drain & educational
activities based on Roman
Manchester
Small
South Ribble
Museum and
Exhibition Centre
Material from Walton-le-Dale
(small display)
Medium
Roman Bath House, Vicarage
Field, Lancaster
Tel: 01524 54537
(See above)
Some interesting items
but lack of provenance
Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley
Street, Manchester M2 3JL
Tel: 0161 235 8888
The Museum of Science &
Industry in Manchester, Liverpool
Road, Castlefield, Manchester
Tel: 0161 832 2244
Old Grammar School, Church
Road, Leyland, PR25 3FJ
Tel: 01772 422 041
Curator Dr D Hunt
dhunt@southribble.gov.uk
7
Museum
National Museums &
Galleries on
Merseyside
World
Museum,
Liverpool
Roman Collection/Objects
Roman pottery sculpture,
bronzes and coins from Britain.
There is also a classical
collection that includes a core
of material acquired through the
Mayer donation and consisting
of pottery, gems, metalwork,
ivory and glass. The classical
collection also includes Roman
jewellery and sculpture from the
Nelson collection.
Size
Extensive
N.B Actively
seeking Roman
material.
Significance
Items of regional and
national significance
including the Nelson
collection of Roman
jewellery and sculpture.
Collection also includes
Roman coins.
Contact Details
World Museum Liverpool, William
Brown Street, Liverpool, L3 8EN,
Telephone 0151 478 4393
Head of European Antiquities:
Ashley Cooke
ashley.cook@liverpool.museums.
org
Local excavation material
includes significant RomanoBritish pottery and tiles
Oldham Museums
Gallery
Oldham
Penrith Museum
Excavation material from the
Castleshaw site excavated by
(GMAU) - includes noncomplete ring with polished
stone, a small collection of
Roman glass fragments,
gaming counters and stamped
tiles – Cohors III
Bracarougustanorum. Not on
display.
Medium
Mainly local finds, some
foreign- including pottery from
Voreda Roman fort near
Plumpton. Also excavation
material from Voreda.
Small
Regional
Gallery Oldham, Oldham Cultural
Quarter, Greaves Street, Oldham,
OL1 1AL
Tel: 0161 911 4653
Curator: Sean Bagglaley
sean.baggaley@oldham.gov.uk
Local/regional
Robinson's School, Middlegate,
Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 7PT
Tel: 01768 865105
Two Curators both contactable
at address below.
museum@eden.gov.uk
8
Museum
Ribchester Roman
Museum
Roman Collection/Objects
Museum dedicated to
Ribchester Roman Fort Roman
& pre Roman: ceramic, metal,
glass, bone timber, leather
stone and industrial residue.
Star objects include leatherwork
and objects relating to the
Sarmatians such as altar and
tombstones. Also famous for
the Ribchester Helmet –
original in the BM but a replica
is on display.
Size
V. large
Touchstones
Rochdale (Formerly
Rochdale Museum &
Art Gallery)
Includes a small number of
local and foreign objects such
as Egyptian textiles, nails from
Scotland, an Iron Age/ Romano
British torc and a bracelet which
forms part of the Throstle Hill
hoard. A number of objects
need identifying.
Small
Saddleworth
Museum & Art
Gallery
Collection consists of objects
from Castleshaw excavations
and Roman coins. Star objects
include a Pilum, complete glass
vessel and beads.
Significance
Objects of regional and
national significance –
partly due to unique
preservation
Contact Details
Ribchester Roman Museum,
Riverside, Ribchester, Preston,
PR3 3XS
Tel:01254 878261
Curator: Patrick Tostevin
ribchestermuseum@btconnect.co
m
Small
Local/regional
Touchstones Rochdale
Arts and Heritage Centre
The Esplanade, Rochdale,
Lancashire, OL16 1AQ
Tel: 01706 864986
Collections Manager: Andrew
Moore
andrew.moore@rochdale.gov.uk
Regional
Saddleworth Museum & Art
Gallery, High Street, Uppermill,
Oldham, OL3 6HS
Tel: 01457 874093
Curator: Peter Fox
curator@saddleworth.co.uk
9
Museum
Salford Museums &
Art Galleries
Salford
Museum &
Art Gallery
Roman Collection/Objects
Inc. Mithraic stones from
Roman Manchester, metalwork,
ceramics and statuary. Also
local coin hoards (Boothstown)
and a cinerary urn containing
bone.
Senhouse Roman
Museum
Large amount of material from
the Roman fort and Town of
Maryport and excavation
archives from the West Coast
of Cumbria. Star objects
include the Serpent stone,
which has both native and
Roman imagery and small
inscribed stones.
Large
Roman material from site at
Mellor and Great Moor.
Collection consists of a large
amount of fragmentary pottery
and building materials. Star
items include a cheese press
fragment and fibulae.
Medium
Stockport Heritage
Services*
Stockport
(Story)
Museum
University of
Liverpool
Museum of
Archaeology
& Oriental
Studies
Objects from Chester,
Heronbridge (Cheshire),
Ribchester and Colchester
Size
Medium/Large
500+ objects
Significance
Local/Regional??
Contact Details
Salford Museum & Art Gallery,
Peel Park, The Crescent, Salford,
M5 4WU
Tel: 0161 778 0825
Collections Manager
Peter Ogilvy
salford.museum@salford.gov.uk
Inscribed and
sculptured stone
collection includes the
largest group of whole
or part inscriptions
found at any one site in
Great Britain –
internationally sig.
Senhouse Roman Museum
The Battery, Sea Brows,
Maryport, CA15 6JD
Tel: 01900 816168
Regional
Stockport Museum, Vernon Park,
Offerton, Stockport, SK1 4AR
Tel: 0161 474 4460
Museum Manager: Jane Lesky
romans@senhouse.freeserve.co.
uk
Open Fri-Sun only.
Access & Interpretation Officer:
Joanne Dunn
Joann.dunn@stockport.gov.uk
???
???
Community Education Officer
(Mellor) Marie Widger
Archaeology Museum
First Floor, School of Archaeology
14 Abercromby Square
Tel: 0151 794 2467
winkerpa@liv.ac.uk
Only open 1.30-4.30
10
Museum
University of
Manchester
The
Manchester
Museum
Roman Collection/Objects
Objects from throughout the
Roman Empire including
Roman Britain.
Size
Extensive
Star items include the
Ravenglass Military Diploma,
and Roman Altars from
Manchester.
Whitworth Art
Gallery
Wigan Heritage
Service
Wigan Pier
Heritage
Centre
History Shop
Textiles only
On display are objects from the
recent Wiend excavations and
some coins from the local
‘Boars Head’ hoard.
Millgate material consists
mainly of ceramics but there is
also some original hypercaust
fabric that will be used to form
part of a reconstruction in the
local shopping centre. There is
also a rare gold coin of Vitellius
(69AD)
Small
Small/medium
Significance
Objects of regional and
national sig. Including
a large collection of
coins, 500 items of
Roman glass and a
ceramic collection that
includes 15,000 objects
dating to Roman and
post Roman Britain.
Contact Details
University of Manchester Oxford
Road Manchester M13 9PL
Tel :0161 275 2634
??
The Whitworth Art Gallery, The
University of Manchester, Oxford
Road, Manchester M15 6ER UK
Tel: 0161 275 7450
Regional/National
(depending on the
results of recent
excavations – extent of
Roman occupation not
yet known)
Wigan Pier Heritage Centre,
Wigan Pier, Wigan, WN3 4EU
(Closing Dec 07)
Curator of Archaeology: Bryan
Sitch
01942 828 123
History Shop
Collections Development
Manager: Yvonne Webb
y.webb@wlct.org
.
11
Museum
Wirral Museum & Art
Gallery Services Birkenhead
Williamson
Art Gallery &
Museum
Roman Collection/Objects
The collection consists mainly
of material from Meols. Star
objects include a glass phial
(complete), complete ceramic
vessels (provenance unknown),
a key handle and a republican
coin (Ptolemy).
Size
Small, 43 items
World of Glass, St
Helens
Roman glass from all over the
Empire
Medium – over 50
objects
Significance
Regionally significant?
Contact Details
Williamson Art Gallery and
Museum, Slatey Road
Birkenhead L43 4UE
Tel: 0151 652 4177
Curator: Colin Simpson
williamsonartgallery@wirral.go.uk
Regional?
The World of Glass Ltd.
Chalon Way East, St. Helens,
Merseyside, WA101BX
Contact: Joanna Hayward
info@worldofglass.com
12