Getting to Know London – Ancient and Current – Cultural Project

Starting in 2009, selected schools will participate in a project that allows pupils to discover the relationships between their experiences and those of the Ancient Romans in their neighbourhoods. This community programme will include research, storytelling and language activities that include Latin, English and other languages spoken by the the pupils at home.

Borough of Westminster and Ancient Rome

Westminster was originally an island above the ill-drained Thames marshes, but there is evidence of early Roman settlement. A community of monks was established on the site by 785.

The Roman city covered much of the City of London. It stretched from the Tower of London in the East to Newgate in the West, its southern boundary being about 1.5 km of the Thames. The northern boundary ran from Bishopsgate to Cripplegate (near the Museum of London). The modern street "London Wall" still follows this boundary.

Outside the city wall were cemeteries and suburbs such as Southwark, which had many well-equipped houses. Parts of the borough of Westminster are close to this area of Roman suburbia. An interactive project will have pupils research real Romans who lived near Westminster to give them a real insight into Ancient Roman life.