The Roman Baths has moved a step closer towards being able to publicly display one of the largest hoards of Roman coins ever found in a Roman town.
On 5th March the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) approved a grant of £372,500 towards Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Beau Street Hoard project, which aims to deliver a range of activities around this fascinating find.
The Council was given the green light and a £54,000 development grant from the HLF in 2012.
Thanks to this second successful funding bid to the HLF, along with £15,000 raised through public donations, the Council can move ahead with its plans to acquire, conserve and display the Beau Street Hoard, as well as develop an extensive programme of learning and community activities across the district.
The hoard of 17,577 silver Roman coins was discovered in Beau Street, 150 metres from the Roman Baths, in 2007. It contains coins covering a span of at least 300 years, dating back to 32 BC.
Archaeologists concluded that they had originally been deposited in eight pouches made of animal skin, secreted within a stone-lined pit beneath a Roman building. The hoard is an important find, archaeologically and historically, and has the potential to develop an understanding of life in Roman Bath and beyond.
Councillor Ben Stevens (Lib-Dem, Widcombe), Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development, said: “We’re overjoyed to receive this grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund which shows their support towards Bath & North East Somerset Council’s bid to acquire and conserve the Beau Street Hoard and ensure that it remains in public ownership locally for everyone to appreciate.
“We are tremendously grateful to everybody who has helped raise the funds required for this ambitious project – which will enable people to enjoy their cultural heritage and increase local learning opportunities right across Bath and North East Somerset.”
Officers and councillors from Bath & North East Somerset Council have worked closely with members of the local community involved in the project; including Genesis Trust, Roman Baths Focus Group, Norton Radstock University of the 3rd Age, Bath Spa University, and the deputy head of St John’s C of E Primary School, Midsomer Norton.
Nerys Watts, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund South West, said: “The Beau Street Hoard is such an exciting discovery and this project will help everyone develop a better understanding of one of the most fascinating periods in the history of Bath.
“We’re proud to be funding these well thought out plans that will save the collection and ensure that the coins are held locally meaning that people from the surrounding community – as well as visitors from further afield – can learn about and enjoy them long into the future.”
