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Date updated: 14/05/2026

Unearthing London’s Roman Past in Highgate Wood

Highgate Wood is not only a peaceful ancient woodland but also home to one of London’s most significant Roman archaeological sites. Excavations in the 1960s and ’70s uncovered more than 40,000 pottery fragments and the remains of at least ten kilns, revealing the wood as a thriving centre for ceramic production between AD 50 and 160. These kilns produced greyware pottery used in everyday Roman life and likely supplied the growing city of Londinium.

Today, this remarkable heritage is being reimagined through Firing London’s Imagination — a National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported project that celebrates the site’s unique past. The project will restore a 2nd-century Roman kiln, first discovered in 1968, and return it to Highgate Wood as the centrepiece of a new visitor centre. Through live firings, workshops, and community events, the project brings Roman craftsmanship back into the heart of the woodland.

You can find out more about the project and how to get involved by visiting Firing London’s Imagination website.

Visit the site

Original kiln site

Walk the woodland paths to discover the original kiln site with what3words at ///shuts.ridge.wood

Information Hut

The Information Hut is temporary closed for refurbishment from 13 April 2026 for 8-10 weeks. 

Visit the Information Hut to view the restored Roman kiln exhibition with what3words at ///jazz.headed.sings

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