Lunt Roman Fort
A partly reconstructed Roman cavalry fort at Baginton with a rare gyrus horse-training ring and a granary exhibition, open on selected school holiday dates.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Lunt at Baginton, near Coventry, was first occupied around AD 60, in the years after the Boudican rising. The fort was built of turf and timber and was never rebuilt in stone, because it was used only for a short time. Around AD 64 it was reduced in size, and at that point the gyrus, a circular enclosure on the east side used for training horses, was built. In the late AD 70s the barrack blocks were made smaller, and the fort was given up around AD 80. Finds suggest that cavalry were stationed here, and the garrison is estimated at about 480 foot soldiers and 120 horsemen.
The site was excavated from the 1960s, with large-scale work between 1965 and 1973 led by Coventry's museum service. Several of the main features, such as the earth ramparts, the timber gateway and the granary, have been rebuilt on their original positions so that visitors can see how the fort looked. The gyrus is described as unparalleled in a Roman fort, and a granary on the site holds an exhibition.
Today the fort is run by CV Life. It is used mainly by schools for pre-booked Roman history sessions, and it opens to the public on selected dates in school holidays, when families can join activities such as gladiator school, archery and storytelling, and a Roman festival is held in summer.
Highlights
- Reconstructed timber gateway and ramparts
- Gyrus, a rare circular horse-training ring
- Granary with an exhibition
- Family activity days in school holidays
- Archery, gladiator school and a summer Roman festival
Permanent exhibitions
- Granary exhibition – An exhibition housed in the granary of the fort.
- Reconstructed fort and gyrus – Timber gateway, ramparts and ditches of the cavalry fort, together with the gyrus, a circular horse-training ring about 34 metres across.
- Operated by
- CV Life
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £4.63 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | £3.83Children, carers, students and Go CV card holders |
| Children & teens | £3.83free up to age 2 · Children pay the concession rate. |
| Visitors with disabilities | £3.83Carers pay the concession rate. |
| Students & apprentices | £3.83 |
Prices are for general admission on public opening days, and children under 3 go free. Holiday events are priced separately; for example, activity days cost £5.50 for adults and £4.50 for concessions, and evening events cost £10 for adults and £8 for children.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Pathways run through the site, the museum has ramped access and an adapted toilet is available. Only assistance dogs are allowed on site.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 2 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Baby changing facilities: not available
- Kids’ birthday parties
Holiday events include gladiator school, archery sessions and storytelling for different age groups, and a Roman Ghost Adventure for ages 6 to 10 with an adult. Birthday parties can be booked at weekends.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Old Mill pub (bus 25) · 5-min walk
Bus number 25 runs from Pool Meadow Bus Station in Coventry, which is also served by the railway station, and stops by the Old Mill pub, about five minutes on foot from the fort. By train, travel to Coventry station and take the 25 or a bus towards Kenilworth.
By car
Parking available
Limited car parking is available on site. Coaches approach from Rowley Road, east of the fort, because they cannot turn into the car park from Mill Hill, and they must not park on the surrounding roads.
Satnav postcode CV8 3AJ.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café: not available
- Restaurant: not available
No food or drink is sold on site, so visitors bring their own; picnic benches are provided. Toilets are on site but have no baby-changing facility.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
The fort is mainly used by schools, but the operator will discuss other uses on request. Children's parties can be booked at weekends for two hours (£200 for up to 20 children, £5 for each additional child, maximum 30; food is self-catered).
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| School programs | yes |
|---|---|
| Photography | Visitors who do not want to be photographed can tell a member of staff, who may ask others not to film or photograph them. For under-18s, permission comes from an accompanying adult. |
| Good to know | Schools can book a half-day (£215, up to 32 pupils) or full-day (£285) session, or the two-hour programme Following in the Footsteps of Soldiers for Key Stage 2. Small groups of under 15 children pay £70 for a half day or £120 for a full day. School visits are for weekdays and must be booked at least a term ahead. |
