A historic monument that is more than 1,824 years old is set to reopen as £70,000 has been put forward for repairs.
The Roman Painted House in Dover was discovered in 1970 and then excavated by archaeologists over the following decade.
Built in 200 AD, it formed part of the Roman military site in Dubris – the Latin name for Dover – and formed part of a large mansion or official hotel for travellers crossing the English Channel
The site in New Street was leased to the Roman Painted House Trust which managed it with volunteers, but the attraction closed in September 2022.
Then, in October 2023, trustees handed the property back to Dover District Council (DDC), which owns the site.
In a meeting earlier this month, DDC’s cabinet supported proposals to carry out the immediate remedial works necessary to get the attraction back open as part of the town’s wider redevelopment.
It is also looking to transform the Roman Bath House and Roman Lawn, and has given the go-ahead to progress applications for grant funding.
More than £70,000 has been pledged towards its repairs and maintenance with the hope of it opening back up to the public by the end of July.
Once open, it will be free to visit on Saturdays and Sundays until the end of October, with bookable group access at other times.
The Roman Painted House is just part of a significant set of archaeological remains in the centre of modern-day Dover, some of which are under the adjacent Roman Lawn and include a Roman bath house.
Plans for the future of the Roman Painted House follow news of a range of major developments for Dover town centre, including the multimillion-pound Dover Beacon project and the £10.5 million renovation project at Dover Maison Dieu.
This also follows news of a major funding boost to help conserve and regenerate Dover’s Western Heights.
Cllr Kevin Mills (lab), leader of Dover District Council said: “We are very pleased to move forward with exciting plans for the Roman Painted House.
“Our thanks go out to Dr Brian Philp MBE and all the trustees and volunteers who have worked so tirelessly here, and we look forward to continuing to work with the current trustees and to progressing their great work for the future.
“There is a whole range of exciting initiatives coming together for the future of the district.
“This is another key catalyst for the regeneration of Dover, bringing increased footfall and spend to the town, as we continue to work with partners to make the area a great place to live, work, visit, learn and invest.”
A spokesperson from the Roman Painted House Trust said: “The Trust is delighted to be working in partnership with the District and Town Councils to re-open the Painted House this summer.
“There have already been exciting developments with eminent Kent Romanists and archaeologists to re-examine the story of the House and the development of Roman Dover.
“We look forward to sharing our history with visitors and a new generation of volunteer guides.”
