- Ethan Doyle White
- Last Checked and/or Updated 15 December 2023
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- England
When we think about the Romans in Britain, we often think of the way that they lived, with their palatial villas and imposing border forts. We spend less time thinking about the way that they died, and how their society commemorated the dead. However, like any other society, the Romano-Britons found ways of memorialising those they loved or revered.
In the leafy suburb of Keston, along Greater London’s southern border with Kent, is found one of the most interesting Romano-British sites in the country. The Keston Roman Mausoleum consists of three visible tombs established in the 3rd century AD. Two of them are comparatively small, but the third – known as Tomb 1 – is a substantial, circular structure measuring nearly 9 metres across and probably would once have stood 5 or 6 metres tall. Plaster fragments recovered during excavation suggest that the building was painted bright red, meaning that it would have looked quite striking on the green rural landscape. Around 16 other graves are known to have clustered around this central structure. The mausoleum likely served the nearby villa; although the villa was excavated, archaeologists reburied it to protect the precious remnants and none of it remains visible today.
Keston Roman Tombs
At some point, the villa and mausoleum fell out of use and were buried beneath the earth. At least one Anglo-Saxon sunken-feature building was erected nearby, suggesting at least some continuity of use of the site into the early middle ages. The Roman buildings were only rediscovered in the late 18th century, when labourers dug up a stone coffin from within Tomb 2. Although some antiquarians were aware of its origins, the coffin was soon being used as an agricultural trough to feed livestock; it was later heavily damaged during a bombing raid in World War II. In 1967, a local archaeology group began a fuller excavation at the site, a project that continued in various forms until 1992, revealing far more about both the mausoleum and the adjacent villa.
More Archaeological Sites Nearby
Roman Sites in Greater London
There are not many Roman sites accessible in the Greater London area. The Guildhall Amphitheatre and the Mithras Temple, both in the City of London, perhaps stand out as being of particular importance, while the Museum of London has a rich array of Romano-British artefacts on display. As well as the Keston Roman Mausoleum, in the London Borough of Bromley there is also home the Crofton Roman Villa – a small structure perhaps best reserved for locals and keen Roman enthusiasts. Several miles into Kent, but still within easy reach of London, can be found Lullingstone Roman Villa, a much more substantial site. It is this comparative dearth of sites that helps to make Keston Roman Mausoleum special. As well as being unique in the Greater London area, it is also a very rare survival of such an impressive Romano-British funerary monument.
Visiting the Keston Roman Tombs
The tombs are located in the back garden of a large, early 20th century house and are not visible from the adjacent Westerham Road – although a bird’s eye view can be obtained thanks to Google Maps. Unfortunately, the site is not accessible on a daily or even regular basis, but open days are occasionally held that enable enthusiasts to explore the site. If you are interested in visiting, it is a case of keeping your eyes peeled to see when it will next be open. It has been part of the Open House London programme in the past. We will post information here if and when we get any.
For more sites and museums in Greater London, see Art, Archaeology & History Sites & Museums in London.
Keston Roman Villa & Tombs
On the edge of Greater London in the small leafy village of Keston, archaeologists found the remains of a 3rd Century AD Roman villa and at least two tombs and many individual graves. Excavations started in the late 1960s and carried on until the 1990s. For conservation reasons the villa was covered up following excavation, but the tombs were left exposed. The ruins are on private property and are usually only accessible to the public on open days held in September each year.