Illustration — photo coming soon
You're standing at the remains of Cunetio, a Romano-British town that once occupied a valley beside the River Kennet, just east of Mildenhall village and roughly two miles from Marlborough.
Between the 2nd and early 5th centuries AD, this was a substantial walled settlement that served as an important urban centre during Roman rule in Britain, before being abandoned as that rule collapsed.
The site lay largely forgotten until aerial photography revealed it in the 1940s. Archaeological digs since then have uncovered the foundations of what was clearly an impressive town, with defensive masonry walls that speak to its significance. Excavators have found everyday items like kitchenware and personal effects, plus two hoards of Roman coins that offer glimpses into the commercial life that flourished here.
What you'll see on the ground is mostly earthworks and foundations rather than standing buildings, so you'll need to exercise your imagination to picture the working town that once thrived here. The riverside setting makes for a pleasant walk, and the rural Wiltshire landscape helps you understand how these Romano-British settlements actually functioned within their wider environment. For anyone interested in Roman history or archaeology, it's genuinely worth visiting, particularly if you pair it with a trip to nearby Marlborough, which has its own market character and museums worth exploring.
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