The Roman Studies Group and Sussex Archaeology and History are planning a hybrid conference (ie with online option) on 'Roman Sanctuaries and votive deposits in SE England and Northern Gaul'. It will take place on 8th May 2027 at Kings Church, Brooks Road, Lewes, Sussex, BN7 2BY. 

Imagine walls decorated with roller-stamped patterns, their shadows dancing around the walls projected from the hearth's fire. Imagine beautifully decorated box-flues hidden behind layers of plaster and mortar.  Why were they keyed in such a way? The evolution of relief-patterned daub and tiles seems quite unique to first century Britain. Their chronology and lifespan remain a topic of hot debate and their purpose on tiles and walls have been argued as having either a decorative or a purely functional purpose.

Stane Street excavations - walk and lunch in local pub

Thursday June 18

Roman Studies Group is organising a vist to see the excavations taking place on Stane Street in Ockley which will include lunch and tea (if you so wish) at the local pub. The walk will be led by Chris Gibson who has been leading the work there.

10.30-11.00 Park, coffee, pre-order and pay for lunch at the Punchbowl Inn, Okewood Hill (near Ockley) RH5 5PU.

The Roman Studies Group is very pleased that Professor Anthony King, Emeritus Professor at Winchester University and a specialist in both animal bones and Roman archaeology, has kindly agreed to lead our 2026 RSG Study Day at East Horsley Village Hall on Friday 18 September 10.00am-3.30pm. The fee of £20 includes a sandwich lunch, coffee and tea. There is free parking at the Hall. 

As this is a hands-on event there is a limit of 20 places and bookings are now open via the book tab above. 

We are delighted to welcome Dr. Jessica Venner, a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow to the final meeting of the winter 2026-7 talk series. Her research specialises in Roman gardens and diets, identity formation, architecture, and the history and archaeology of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The title of her talk will be added once it is forthcoming.

A Zoom link will be sent to RSG members a week before the talk. If you are a Surrey Archaeological Society member you can join RSG for free. Go to the membership page of the website to sign up.

David Rudling has kindly agreed to talk on  'Roman Usurpers and their coins during the third and fourth centuries' for our February Zoom meeting of the winter series 2026-7.

David is well known to Surrey Archaeological Society and is a committee member of RSG. He is Academic Director, Sussex Archaeology and History (https://www.sussexarchaeology.org/about-sah) and has more than 40 years experience in the field of archaeology in the UK.

A joint Zoom meeting is planned between Roman Studies Group and Surrey Archaeology and History on 18th January. Justine Bayley will be talking on How did they make those beautiful objects? The manufacture and decoration of Roman brooches. Justine is currently an Honorary Associate Professor at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London. She researches in archaeometallurgy, other high temperature technologies and archaeology, focusing on northern Europe and the British Isles.

We are pleased to announce that, for the December meeting of our winter talks series, we will be holding a in-person meeting at East Horsley Village Hall. A talk by James Bromwich on 'Commemorating the Dead: mausolea, towers and caskets' will be followed by a Christmas social event. This is for members only, giving RSG members the chance to socialise in person rather than meeting on Zoom.

Mike Fulford has kindly offered to talk to us on 'The Silchester Environs Project'. He led a research team in a five year project to explore the later prehistoric use of the c.140km2 landscape around Silchester Roman Town and its underlying Late Iron Age oppidum. Its base was an extensive desktop assessment containing a vast array of data, both old and new, which was incorporated in a project-wide GIS. It was further supported by various geophysics techniques, lidar, earthwork surveys, walkover reconnaissance, coring exercises and excavation.

A Zoom  talk on 'The Hallaton Helmet: A Conquest Period Mystery