English Heritage

Image credit: Charles Kightly

Lying on the east bank of the river Riccal on the southern edge of the North York Moors National Park, the Roman villa at Beadlam remained undiscovered until the 1960s. The remains of the villa’s buildings were uncovered in the 1960s and 1970s, together with a rich collection of domestic objects that reflect the site’s importance as a country residence in the 3rd and 4th centuries AD.

Today, visitors can see one of three ranges of buildings excavated at Beadlam. It was a typical Romano-British villa, a winged-corridor house comprising communal rooms in the centre, and two more private suites of well-appointed rooms on either side. The west wing features a room with a heating system (hypocaust) and the east wing has an elaborate reception room, where a fine mosaic was discovered. Read more about the villa’s history.

Visits to the site are only possible during guided tours, which begin at Helmsley Archaeological Store. 

 

English Heritage has been working together with the Ryevitalise Landscape Partnership to connect people with the historic landscape. Including supporting with the volunteer-led tours that take place on site.

Dates and booking information for the tours can be found here: Explore Beadlam Roman Villa - Various dates

And for our younger visitors, we are pleased to offer our Romans on the Rye Family Day - Friday 1 August - we look forward to seeing you there!