With its state-of-the-art developments, Southwark sits at the centre of architectural innovation. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll uncover a world of ancient ruins and artefacts, writes Herbie Russell…
A 2000-Year-Old Roman ‘Motel’
Near Borough High Street, the Museum of London Archaeology team (MOLA) has been excavating a large, four-room Roman building constructed around AD72, 25 years after Londinium was founded.
The northern part of the building was first revealed in the 1980s and back then archaeologists thought it might be a Mansio – a hotel for traveling Roman soldiers and dignitaries.
There seems to have been an internal courtyard, colourful painted interior walls and a mosaic floor, all of which would have been encircled by a lush garden. The ornate nature of the structure indeed suggests that this once homed the elite figures of imperial Rome.
A Chi-Rho Graffito Shard
This year, a fascinating shard of Roman pottery, first found in Southwark, received academic recognition after it featured in the academic journal Britannia.
Historians concluded in 2021 that it provides an invaluable indicator as to the prevalence of Christianity in Roman Britain. The piece was first uncovered by Pre-Construct archaeology during their excavations at Brandon House, Southwark.
It is thought to be the shard of a moratorium, a bowel-like vessel used for grinding up foodstuffs. But what makes it particularly special is its chi-rho inscription. One of the oldest known Christian symbols, the chi-rho is formed by writing a capital X over a capital P. These are the first two letters of the Greek word Christos and, together, mean ‘the anointed one’. It is very rare to find such inscriptions on pottery, making this a remarkable find.
Alfred the Great’s Medieval Statue is Part Roman
Alfred the Great’s statue in Trinity Church Square, Borough, a venerable example of Medieval craftsmanship, was long-believed to be the capital’s oldest statue. It turns out that it’s even older than first thought – about 1600 years older!
Stonemasons discover that Alfred the Great statue is half ancient Roman goddess
In 2021, while undertaking conservation work, stonemasons found out the lower half is made from Bath stone, a material preferred by Roman sculptors. Academics soon concluded that the statue’s legs were carved from a colossal ancient sculpture dedicated to the goddess Minerva, dating back to the 2nd century.
Alfred’s body is made of Coade Stone, a mix of clay, silicates, glass and terracotta, which was valued in Medieval times because of its suitability for fine detailing and ornamentation. Fusing this onto the Bath stone would have been an incredibly delicate and complex process.
The Return of the Hunter God
One of Southwark’s most treasured finds, a 2000-year-old limestone carving, is back in its spiritual home.
Visitors can now see the hunter god carving at the Southwark Heritage Centre in Walworth, which opened its doors to visitors in the summer of 2021.
The Roman-era carving, dating back to 150 to 250AD, was originally found during excavations of a well in Southwark Cathedral in 1977. It depicts a hunter god as well as various other religious symbols such as the cap of Mithras, arrows of Apollo and stag of Diana.
As well as featuring a library, the Southwark Heritage Centre is the new home of the Cuming Collection, a set of historical artifacts which was almost destroyed in a 2013 fire at Walworth Town Hall. Jessie Goodison Burgess, Heritage Officer at the centre said: “It’s lovely to see how many people are coming in now that all the objects are back on display.
“The Cuming Collection was an important part of the local community so the fact that people still remember it is heartwarming.”
The centre launched on May 19 2021 and is open 10am-6pm Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm on Saturday and closed on Sunday.
