Crofton Roman Villa
Remains of a Roman villa in Orpington, with ten rooms and a hypocaust under a cover building; closed for refurbishment.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Crofton Roman Villa lies in Orpington in the London Borough of Bromley. The house was occupied from about AD 140 to about AD 400 and stood at the centre of a farming estate of roughly 500 acres, with farm buildings, fields, meadows and woods around it. During its 260 years of use the house was altered several times, and at its largest it probably had at least 20 rooms.
The remains of ten rooms can be seen today beneath a modern cover building. Two of the rooms still show parts of floors made of opus signinum, a Roman concrete, and three show traces of tessellated, or tiled, floors. The underfloor heating system, known as a hypocaust, survives with both channelled and pillared designs. Before it closed, the site was described by the council as the only Roman villa open to the public in Greater London.
The Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit excavated the site and carried out the preservation scheme, which was funded by Bromley Council. The Unit manages the site together with the council and its volunteers used to open it to visitors and school groups.
The villa is currently closed while the council refurbishes the building. The works include a new roof, doors and windows, a new accessible toilet, signage and new displays with educational panels, models, replica objects and interactive material, supported by a grant of £250,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Highlights
- Remains of ten rooms of a Roman villa in a cover building
- Hypocaust underfloor heating with channelled and pillared systems
- Parts of concrete and tessellated floors
- Villa occupied from about AD 140 to 400
Permanent exhibition
- Roman villa remains – Ten rooms of the Roman villa, including floor remains and the underfloor heating system, are protected inside a modern cover building. New displays with models, replica objects and interactive material are planned after refurbishment.
- Operated by
- London Borough of Bromley, managed together with the Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit
Admission & discounts
The villa is closed until refurbishment works are complete. Bromley Council expects public visits to be possible from late 2026.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
A new accessible toilet is part of the refurbishment works.
Kids & families
The new displays are planned to include interactive and educational material.
Getting there & parking
The site is on Crofton Road in Orpington. During the works the footpath between Crofton Road and the Public Halls is closed.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The villa is closed until refurbishment works are complete. Bromley Council expects public visits to be possible from late 2026.
Events & venue rental
The villa is closed until refurbishment works are complete. Bromley Council expects public visits to be possible from late 2026.
Plan your visit
| School programs | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | School sessions last 90 minutes, with a morning or afternoon arrival, and take up to 30 children. They can be booked for January 2027 onwards through the council’s culture team. During the works the footpath between Crofton Road and the Public Halls is closed and is due to reopen when they are finished. |
