Five Archaeological Sites in London You Need to Visit

London is awash with history. From the grandeur of the Houses of Parliament to the resplendence of Buckingham Palace and other impressive landmarks, there are centuries of stories that stretch over two millennia.

But beneath the surface lies even older stories. To this day, many archaeological sites in London hide secrets, relics and treasures from times gone by - enticing leading archaeologists from across the globe to reveal more about the civilizations that came before.

Discover five unique historical sites in London to truly immerse yourself in history.

Five Unique London Archaeology Sites

From the Iron Age to Roman Britain, delve further into the Capital’s history with five impressive archaeological sites in London.

1. Caesar's Camp - Wimbledon Common

Across the soft grass and tended footpaths of Wimbledon Common, there's a lot of green space to explore and enjoy. For budding archaeologists and history enthusiasts, some of this green space in fact covers the remains of what was an Iron Age hillfort which has since come to be known as Caesar's Camp. Thought to date back as far as 700 BC, this hillfort is surrounded by nearly 300 yards of circled earth - it forms part of several other examples of buildings across the UK that suggested a gradual move towards more militaristic architecture.

It's thought to have been occupied for nearly 800 years, up until around 100 AD with a number of different occupants coming and going, including Roman settlers - evidenced by an urn unearthed at the hillfort, chock full of Roman coins.

2. The Guildhall Roman Amphitheatre - City of London

The Guildhall Roman Amphitheatre is the remains of London’s Roman amphitheatre. Dating back to around 70 AD, it is one of the most well-known archaeological sites in London.

The remains were discovered in 1988 following excavations to build the foundations of a new Guildhall Art Gallery building. While there isn't too much to see today, a superb presentation at the site in the basement of the gallery building gives visitors a full experience of what it would have been like to be one of 7,000 spectators. Those spectators would have witnessed everything from public executions through to gladiatorial bouts on tiered seating, rising up above the stage.

Today, if you visit the Guildhall Art Gallery, you can still see preserved segments of the arena walls and the original east gate. The complete elliptical shape of the amphitheatre is marked on the ground in the Guildhall Yard with a dark stone ring.

3. The London Mithraeum - City of London

The London Mithraeum is an archaeological site in London containing the remains of a Roman temple originally dedicated to the god, Mithras, before its dedication changed to Bacchus, the god of wine. It is one of the few Mithraea (temples dedicated to Mithras) found in Britain.

Thought to have been built back in the 3rd century AD, the remains were discovered in the City of London in 1954. Along with the engravings of the two deities, there were also marble statues of other gods, thought to be brought to the temple directly from Italy. Several other artefacts were discovered around Walbrook across the 20th century, many of which are thought to be from the Mithraeum itself.

Today, you can visit the Mithraeum by heading to media company Bloomberg's European headquarters. Entry is free to the public, and you’ll be able to see the temple's foundations, along with other Roman artefacts found during excavation.

4. Hampstead Heath Barrow

One of the more famous prehistoric sites in London, Hampstead Heath Barrow can be found on Hampstead Heath, as its name suggests. Like the many other barrows found across England and Wales, this barrow was a large mound that would have been built to bury the bodies of important community figures in prehistoric societies.

This particular example is thought to have been constructed in the Bronze Age, although folklore suggests that this may be the grave of Boadicea - an Iceni warrior queen who fought to hold off the Roman conquerors. Sadly, this is likely untrue, with archaeologists dating the barrow back as far as 3,000 BC, well before the time of Boadicea - but it's a nice idea either way.

You can explore the barrow today by heading up to the top of a Hampstead Heath meadow.

5. London’s Roman Wall

London, previously known as Londinium, was once a bustling Roman port city. Around 200 AD the Romans built an enormous wall to encircle the port area, offering it some protection. The wall was built on an even older ditch area incorporating an older fort now known as Cripplegate Fort. 

Over time, the Roman Empire weakened, and the wall suffered. Different rulers repaired it, added to it, and even tore parts down. 

Despite this, an impressive stretch of the ruins remains in parts of central London as a reminder of the influence of the Romans on British history. If you want to discover the fortification for yourself, you can follow the London Wall Walk to take in all the history behind this ancient fortification.

Immerse Yourself in History With a New Home in London

Imagine stepping out of your door and being surrounded by London’s rich history. Whether you're a history buff or just like to explore old ruins and remnants of the past, London is full of historic sites and landmarks to keep you busy. 

Should you want to be closer to the action, why not move closer to the Capital? With a new apartment in London or a commuter-friendly town nearby, you can explore the rich history of the City for yourself, whenever you feel like it.

Start the search for your new home today and discover why you should buy with Berkeley Group.