An “extremely rare” Roman mausoleum and four mosaics discovered in Borough will be displayed to the public in a permanent community space.
Excavators stumbled upon the beautifully preserved tomb while working on the Southwark Street site in June this year.
The developer has now put forward plans to house the archaeological finds in a community space ensuring Londoners can enjoy their majesty for years to come.
Archaeologists believe the mausoleum was a burial ground for some of the wealthier members of Roman Britain.
The Museum of London Archaeology believes the quality of its preservation makes it one of the most intact Roman tombs ever discovered in the UK.
Excavators have uncovered 3,000 archaeological finds on the site, including four mosaics “of national importance”, numerous Roman skeletons and heaps of treasure.
Antonietta Lerz, senior archaeologist at MOLA, told the BBC the site was a “microcosm for the changing fortunes of Roman London” and provided “a fascinating window” into the lives of its settlers.
The new community space, named Wood Yards, will house both the restored mausoleum and the four mosaics, providing public viewing access.
It will host archaeological events and have a new cycle hub attached to it – somewhere visitors can safely store their bicycles.
The site forms part of the Liberty of Southwark – a development that will see the construction of offices, retail units and 36 new homes of which 50 per cent will be affordable.
