The Roman site was excavated between 1936-39 by pioneering female archaeologist Kathleen Kenyon. The bath site was originally thought to be the forum, which we now know to be below St Nicholas' Circle.

 

The Roman baths date to around 160 AD. They were more like Turkish Baths than the swimming pools of today with bathers progressing through cold, warm and hot rooms and then to a sweat room. Roman Leicester’s citizens used the baths not just to get clean, but as a place to exercise, socialise and conduct business.