Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Slovenia mushroom foraging
Slovenia • 6 days, 5 nights
Forest to Table in Alpine Slovenia
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Tripe is fried to a crisp.
L’Osteria della Trippa
Pizza al taglio is done right here.
Fratelli Trecca
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Tripe is fried to a crisp.
L’Osteria della Trippa
Pizza al taglio is done right here.
Fratelli Trecca
View of the full general store from the second floor.
MoonPie General Store
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
You don’t need to go to Turkey to see hundreds of hot air balloons rising.
Dear Atlas: Where Can I Find the Most Unusual Festivals in the U.S.?
about 5 hours ago
Located in Indianola, Mississippi, Club Ebony hosted performances by blues legends like B.B. King.
How Club Ebony Helped Keep the Blues Alive in the Jim Crow South
about 5 hours ago
Our journey begins in Texas—more specifically in Big Bend National Park.
The Atlas Obscura (Audio) Guide to the National Parks
1 day ago
A 16,000-square foot greenhouse in downtown Toronto has rooms dedicated to a range of climates stocked with ecosystem-appropriate plants, flowers, and animals.
10 Unexpected Places Where Creativity Shines in Toronto
1 day ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom England Wigan Wigan Roman Bathhouse
AO Edited

Wigan Roman Bathhouse

A reconstructed section of a Roman bathhouse sits next to an otherwise ordinary shopping mall.

Wigan, England

Added By
Dark Nebula Deluxe
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Look down.   Dark Nebula Deluxe / Atlas Obscura User
Look down.   Dark Nebula Deluxe / Atlas Obscura User
These faux-ruins represent a long history.   Dark Nebula Deluxe / Atlas Obscura User
The reconstructed Roman bathhouse is outside a shopping mall.   Dark Nebula Deluxe / Atlas Obscura User
The reconstructed section of the Roman bathhouse sits adjacent to the Grand Arcade.   Dark Nebula Deluxe / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

As early as the beginning of the 19th century, historians suspected that the city of Wigan in northwest England had once been the site of some sort of ancient Roman settlement. The location seemed to correspond to the position of a fort on Roman maps, various Roman roads from other known Roman settlements in seemed to lead to Wigan, and an assortment of Roman artifacts had been found in the area over the years.

Excavations in the 1980s uncovered more conclusive evidence that Wigan was an ancient Roman settlement. However, it was not until the early 21st century that people understood the true extent of what lay under Wigan.

In the early 2000s, developers started work in Wigan on a new shopping center to be named the Grand Arcade. Legislation in the 1990s obligated developers to perform an archaeological survey before commencing construction, and when this survey was started on the site in late 2004, materials from both the Roman and Medieval era were found. Additional excavation work in 2005 revealed much more extensive material from the Roman era, much of which dated back to the 2nd century, and eventually, the remains of a Roman bathhouse were unearthed. 

The bathhouse appeared to have been erected in the early 2nd century when the site was a Roman military outpost, and based on the sheer scale of the ruins, it was assumed to be a very prestigious site. The most notable finds were three separate hypocausts, which were rooms built with ventilation under the floor that could be used to circulate hot air for heating the rooms above. 

The structure also included a possible plunge pool and a substantially large colonnade.  However, when the Roman army moved their troops out of Wigan at the end of the second century, the bathhouse was apparently completely dismantled, mainly to deny its use to other people unaffiliated with the Romans. In subsequent centuries, people built over the site, and the bathhouse was forgotten.

Unfortunately, this archaeological site was not preserved by the twenty-first century shopping center developers; construction of the Grand Arcade proceeded once the excavations of the bathhouse and the surrounding area were complete.  However, some of the materials from the ruins were used to create a small reproduction of a hypocaust in a quiet area just outside the shopping center.  Even with the original ruins gone, this reconstruction provides residents and visitors to Wigan with the opportunity to learn about the city’s ancient past.

Related Tags

History Malls Bathhouse Roman

Know Before You Go

The Roman bathhouse is located on the west side of the Grand Arcade near the south end of the building where it joins the Millgate Multi Storey Car Park. The site is publicly accessible at all times of day. The Grand Arcade itself is located on the east side of Wigan and is within walking distance of the city’s bus station and two train stations, and, of course, parking is available in the adjacent car park.

Community Contributors

Added By

Dark Nebula Deluxe

Published

October 4, 2024

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://lancashirepast.com/2014/07/13/wigans-roman-hypocaust/
  • https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Resident/Libraries/Schools-Cultural-Service/Workshops/Roman-bathhouse.aspx
  • https://diggreatermanchester.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/wigan-roman-baths-panel.pdf
  • https://www.wiganarchsoc.co.uk/content/Projects/Millgate/wbe1.html
Wigan Roman Bathhouse
39 River Way
Wigan, England, WN1 1BH
United Kingdom
53.545619, -2.628794
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Rectory Nurseries

Ashton-in-Makerfield, England

miles away

Liverpool Castle

Rivington, England

miles away

St Helens 'Oldest Pie' at The Turks Head

St Helens, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of England

England

United Kingdom

Places 2,212
Stories 145

Nearby Places

Rectory Nurseries

Ashton-in-Makerfield, England

miles away

Liverpool Castle

Rivington, England

miles away

St Helens 'Oldest Pie' at The Turks Head

St Helens, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of England

England

United Kingdom

Places 2,212
Stories 145

Related Places

  • Mumbai, India

    Flora Fountain

    An iconic fountain dedicated to the Roman goddess Flora stands in the heart of Mumbai.

  • Zurich, Switzerland

    Lindenhof Keller

    Underneath the well-known Lindenhof hides a secret cellar documenting Zurich's early history.

  • Woerden, Netherlands

    Woerden Elagabal Inscription

    This ancient stele gives a testimony to the presence of the Syrian sun god Elagabalus on the Roman Empire's western frontier.

  • Diokletian Aqueduct

    Split, Croatia

    Dioklecijanov Akvadukt (Diocletian Aqueduct)

    This ancient Roman aqueduct once funneled water to Diocletian's palace.

  • Foundation of the Aqueduct

    Barcelona, Spain

    Foundations of the Roman Aqueduct of Barcino

    These 2000 year old remains of a Roman aqueduct are hidden inside a hotel lobby.

  • The pyramid shaped chapel & museum

    Bessans, France

    Mont Cenis

    From Carthage's Hannibal to riders of the Tour de France, many have crossed this scenic route through the Alps.

  • Torre Federici from across Piazza della Torre

    Sonico, Italy

    Torre Federici

    A family accused of witchcraft once called this medieval tower home.

  • Mountfitchet Castle walls and siege tower

    Stansted, England

    Mountfitchet Castle

    This reconstructed Norman castle is the world's most accurate, from location to livestock.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.