About this Event
Reconnecting Roman Britain 2026
Saturday 14 November 2026, Colchester, Essex, UK.
Join us in Colchester, Britain’s first Roman capital, for Reconnecting Roman Britain 2026 , a day of new research, fresh discoveries, discussion, and shared interest in the archaeology and history of Roman Britain.
The conference brings together archaeologists, historians, researchers, heritage professionals, students, and enthusiasts to explore current work from across the field. Alongside the talks, there will be plenty of opportunity to meet others, exchange ideas, and make new connections in a friendly and welcoming setting.
The conference is organised by Colchester Archaeological Trust and The Roman Society, with support from the Roman Research Trust.
BURSARY:
The Roman Society is generously offering expenses of up to £150 to allow 10 individuals to attend this Reconnecting Roman Britain Conference.
It is intended for those who would otherwise be unable to attend (eg students, unwaged, etc.) but would benefit from doing so.
Roman Society bursaries for Reconnecting Roman Britain 2026 – Fill out form
(link will open in new tab).
Optional Friday events – 13 November
If you are arriving in Colchester the day before the conference, you can also add one or both of our optional pre-conference events to your booking. (limited tickets).
Roman Colchester Guided Walk - 3 pm
A 90-minute walk through Colonia Claudia Victricensis, led by a qualified City Guide, exploring the streets, monuments, and archaeology of Roman Colchester.
Evening Reception at the Roman Circus Visitor Centre - 6 pm
Join us for an informal reception at the site of Britain’s only confirmed Roman chariot-racing track, with an opportunity to explore the archaeology of the site, learn more about its history, and visit "The Lexden Lady" exhibition.
Book your place for the conference and select any Friday add-on events you would like to attend during the booking process.
A light lunch and refreshments are included at the Conference.
2026 Conference Programme
Friday, 13 November
15:00 – 16:30 Pre-event guided tour of Roman Colchester with a City Tour guide.
18:00 - 20:30 Reception at the Roman Circus Visitor Centre, Roman Circus Walk, Colchester, Essex CO2 7GZ, with the opportunity to view “The Lexden Lady” special exhibition.
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Saturday, 14 November
From 09:00 Registration & refreshments at Lion Walk Church, Lion Walk Precinct, Colchester, Essex CO1 1LX
09:25 – 09:30 Welcome and introduction
09:30 – 11:00 Session 1
Claire Willetts: Timeless Treasures. Unlocking the Great Baddow Coin Hoard
Adam Wightman: A Changing Landscape: Burial, Settlement and Industry Beyond the Walls of Roman Colchester
Emma Holloway: The Lexden Lady: What’s in a box? Disseminating a Group of Grave Goods from a 4th-century burial from Colchester
Morwen Thomas: Urning for Answers: Rediscovering Roman Colchester’s Cremated Dead
Mark Hinman, Charlotte Lockwood: New Archaeological Findings on the Way to the Circus
Hadley Sharman: More money, more problems: contextualising Camulodunum’s Roman coinage at Colchester Museum
11:00 – 11:30 BREAK - Refreshments; viewing of poster displays and stalls
11:30 – 13:00 Session 2
Julia Tomas: Reconnecting Camulus and Camulodunum
Kris Lockyear: Recent geophysical surveys at Dicket Mead Roman Villa
Susan Greaney: Mosaics, metalworking and ? magic: recent discoveries at Halberton Roman Villa, Devon (SHARE Project)
BRITANNIA AWARDS & Prize Giving: Britannia award winners (Individual and Group)
Kenneth Dodd: Things they call Roman Villas
Elizabeth Garnett: Blood lines: a biomolecular study of individuals at Romano-British Poundbury Camp, Dorset
Graham Shuttlewood: The Romans at The Point and Leigh Beck, Canvey Island
13:00 – 14:00 BREAK - Lunch and refreshments; viewing of poster displays and stalls
14:00 – 15:00 Session 3
Natasha Harlow, Kelsey Middleditch: Caistor Paddocks: Pots and Pits at Venta Icenorum
Patrick Ottaway: Roman York ‘busting the backlog’. What do the sites of the 1980s have to tell us today?
Medi Jones-Williams: Lipid Analysis of Funerary Pottery from Roman Britain
Hella Eckardt: A banquet for the gods: the cultural significance of a group of reclining bronze figures
Eddie Taylor: Chthonic Britannia: Religion & Ritual of Mines, Miners & Mining Districts
15:05 – 15:30 BREAK - Refreshments; viewing of poster displays and stalls
15:30 – 17:00 Session 4
Giacomo Savani, Andrew Roberts: Sensing the Fort: reimaging Housesteads through Sensory Archaeology and Public Engagement
Marta Alberti-Dunn, Cristina Crizbasan, Sophie Westlake: Keeping community archaeology current: co-creation for decolonisation and climate change on Hadrian’s Wall
Charlotte Bell: Motherhood and Gendered Norms: The Evidence for Women in Roman Britain
Katie Manby: Reflections on Roman Colchester: New analysis of mirrors from Colchester Museum
Owen Humphreys: Alien Artefacts - Antiquities and Exotica at RomanVindolanda
Jo Skerry: Roman Ceramic Building Material: assessing thearchaeological potential of a new assemblage of geometric ceramic shapes
Linda McGuire: The Meaning of Names: on examining a female maker’s mark in Roman Britain
David Roberts Roman Britannia: Mobility and Society
17:00 Closing Remarks
Event venue & nearby stays
Lion Walk United Reformed Church, Lion Walk Precinct, Colchester, United Kingdom
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