graphical version  site map  T&C

The Excavations:

• The Fort
• • The Fort Defences
  • The Barracks
  • The Officer's House
  • The Workshops
  • The Granaries
  • The Rubbish Dump
  • The Bath House
• The Vicus
• • The Houses & Workshops
  • The Guest House
  • The Market or Temple
  • The Yard
  • The Pottery Shop

The Excavations:

The bath-house

The bath-house was an important part of a Roman fort. The army encouraged soldiers to use the bathhouse regularly in order to keep them healthy. Bathhouses were also places where the soldiers could relax, play games and socialise.

What did the archaeologists find?
The Castleford bathhouse was located in the annexe. It was close to the river which would have been important for providing clean water to the baths and draining away the dirty water.

How was the bath-house used?
Bathers entered the changing room (the apodyterium) where they removed their clothes. Then they went into a series of rooms which were heated to different temperatures in order to get the bathers sweating! Heat was produced in the boiler room (the praefurnium) and hot air was circulated beneath the floors of the hot and warm rooms.

Saved for the future
The Castleford bathhouse was too important to allow it to be destroyed by excavation. The remains of the building are preserved beneath a grassed area at the junction of Church Street and Savile Road.

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