This is an excellent and practical guide for anyone interested in exploring Roman Britain. The author presents each site with clarity and consistency, supported by well-designed maps. Each map appears first as it would have looked in Roman times, showing walls, buildings, and road layouts where known, and then as a modern overlay derived from Google Maps, a thoughtful feature that aligns neatly with what visitors can access on their smartphones.

The introduction sets out the book’s clear structure: each chapter follows a reliable pattern covering how to reach the site (including public transport and cycling options), its historical development, local connections and figures such as Togidubnus (in Chichester) or Demetrius of Tarsus (in York), and its role within the wider community. Practical details – what to see, the quality of onsite information, time needed for a leisurely visit, and nearby food or rest stops – make the guide exceptionally user-friendly for individuals and school groups alike.

A map (p. 3) shows the location of the sites which are covered in the book. The following 20 sites are included, with a substantial chapter on each: Aldborough, Bath, Caerwent, Caistor St Edmund, Canterbury, Chichester, Cirencester, Colchester, Corbridge, Dorchester, Exeter, Gloucester, Leicester, Lincoln, London, Silchester, Verluamium (St Albans), Winchester, Wroxeter (Wall), and York. I was expecting a thin volume, as guides of this kind tend to be; however, I was pleasantly surprised to see there are over 350 pages, with a full index and references list and suggestions for further reading. It’s scholarly, as befits its author, Richard Hingley, Emeritus Professor of Roman Archaeology at Durham University, but very accessible to its intended audience – the curious visitor who wants more detail and recommendations than the couple of pages usually offered in guides.

I shall take the chapter on Bath as an example – a town I know well. ‘Bath: Spa of the Goddess Sulis’ (pp. 37–49) starts with an Introduction telling us a little about the set-up of Roman baths and temple to Sulis Minerva. The two maps – then and now – are shown on a double-page spread for easy comparison. The Roman era map is clear and easy to read, in black and white, with the outline of the Roman city walls and archaeological sites (as known) in red. The main features are labelled, including the parts of the original settlement outside the walls up on the Walcot Road. The modern map, also in black, white and red, shows where the visible remains can be seen today. The main visible archaeological features are scored – a helpful innovation for visitors to know what to aim for first and what not to bother with too much if there is limited time or energy. In this case, the Roman baths themselves and the attached museum are both awarded three stars, while the city walls are only one star. As I have never been very aware that Bath has Roman walls worth seeing today (having visited the city scores of times over the years), I would probably agree with this scoring. It also shows, helpfully, the locations of the railway station and the bus station. This book makes no assumption that everyone has or wants to use a car – and, for the tourist or the school party, such information is very useful.

There follows a section, ‘Exploring Roman Bath’ (pp. 39–40), which describes access to the important parts of the site, the length of time a visit might take, and useful information. Bath has many attractions beyond the Roman remains, and the author recommends a stay; other sites in the book have rather less to see and do, and the author is helpful and honest there too. The next section ‘Historical Summary’ (pp. 40–45) is made of several parts, but essentially describes the history of the development of the Baths from pre-Roman to Roman times, and the rediscovery of the archaeological remains in the Georgian period, up to the present day. Mention is made of the development of the bath buildings themselves, the healing properties of the Spring, the establishment of the temple of Sulis Minerva, and attention is paid to the evidence for the people who worked there (the haruspex) or visited for health or other reasons. The information is brief, but helpful in contextualising the site and could easily prepare one for a visit, highlighting the main features to be aware of and look out for. You are not so over-provided with material to read that you might as well not bother with a visit; rather, you are given enough to make you think about the justification for a visit. It would be helpful information for a teacher to provide for pupils, parents and the senior leadership group for a putative trip. The next section ‘The Town’ (pp. 45–48) describes the Roman parts outside the baths– the town of Bath itself and what there is to see. Hingley suggests that a Roman wall walk, if there is time, is worth the effort and provides detailed guidance round the town. Although, he admits, there is little evidence of the walls and gates, he suggests that one can get a sense of the size of the original town – and, anyway, a walk provides an excuse to experience one of the World’s most beautiful cities. The chapter concludes with the story of King Bladud, and Wood’s building of Georgian Bath. There is a section on further reading, suggesting Cunliffe’s work as a starting place and, helpfully, a short list of five interesting inscriptions from Bath (with RIB references) for exploration. Further links are provided on a short but useful accompanying website https://www.bloomsburyonlineresources.com/roman-britain-in-twenty-towns/home. Each town there is scored as well: Caistor, Gloucester and York, for example, are awarded only one star (which I feel is a bit mean for the last named). The publication is also available as an audiobook.

Production values are adequate, though the print-on-demand paper is maybe liable to wear on outdoor excursions. The maps, while slightly small, remain legible and informative. There are a few black-and-white photographs. Overall, this guide succeeds admirably in combining scholarly accuracy with accessibility, making it a valuable companion for anyone planning to explore Britain’s Roman heritage.