That is, what is left of it, and is possible to see. Introductory lessons and video material had already prepared the boys for the very little that remains of what was once a building bigger than Buckingham Palace. This was due to a fire first, then the re-purposing of any remaining available building material and, finally, neglect. Only mosaics, an hypocaust, wall foundations and part of the gardens remain visible today. A small part of the footprint of the Palace is conserved under a grassy bank; the rest is below the foundations of nearby houses and roads. We can only imagine what marvels they might include.

The knowledgeable Fishbourne staff explained more to the boys.  Alan welcomed our pupils warmly and offered them an engaging overview of the site and its history. Andy led an interactive workshop which provided some boys with the opportunity to produce flour and to work in a typical Roman kitchen. Others built arches, wrote on wax tablets, span wool, created mosaics and composed their names in cursive Latin.

In the museum, boys were able to recognise some of the items previously seen at Winchester College’s Treasury before Christmas and to use that knowledge to deduct the purpose of other objects too. The mosaics and the hypocaust illustrated the level of engineering, craftsmanship and skills that Roman dwellings of this type required, and we will continue to talk about this aspect of Roman life in the future.

The bright and dry weather allowed us to enjoy our packed lunches outdoors and to explore the garden and its many plants to complete our tour of the Palace.

There were a lot of excellent questions asked to staff and plenty of good conversations between the boys, who also offered great contributions, showing a good level of knowledge and understanding.

My thanks go to Mrs Bailey and Mr Buck for accompanying the group and to all the boys in Year 6 for making the most of this enjoyable and productive day.

Mrs Laura Brill
Head of Classics