Stage 4

Since 1990 all the society's resources have been concentrated on the bath-house complex, which was located in 1989. The building structure and foundations were found to be very deep, which has caused frequent delays in excavation due to flooding. The excavation of this building are now complete, although some investigative work continues around the perimeter.

It has been established that the bathhouse was first completed in about 100 AD, but then it was rebuilt at a higher level in the early second century AD, probably due to flooding. After lying derelict for some time a new bathhouse building was constructed on the same foundations in about 200 AD. This third and final phase of the bathhouse had a long life, with evidence of occupation up to the early 5th century AD. The bath house contained some unusual features, the Alveus, the footbath and the circular cold plunge.

This bathhouse was large enough to have served a small town and not just the adjacent local mansio. This fact questions the status of Tripontium. What was considered to be a wayside settlement should now be reassessed as a Romano-British small town.

Since January 2006 Craig Frogley has been the Site Director. The small
team of excavators is currently working on Saturday afternoons, weather
permitting, in an area adjacent to the Area 3 site.

The Tripontium Bathhouse Excavations 2005