The Roman Painted House Dover

The Roman Painted House Dover The Roman Painted House was discovered in 1970 and excavated by local archaeologists during the following decade. It was built in about 200 AD. Charity

See our pinned post for opening days and times.

🏛️ Roman Painted House - Opening Hours (free entry).We've welcomed nearly 4,000 visitors since April this year! It's bee...
14/08/2026

🏛️ Roman Painted House - Opening Hours (free entry).

We've welcomed nearly 4,000 visitors since April this year! It's been wonderful to meet both local residents and visitors who've travelled from further afield to discover Dover's Roman Painted House.

⚓ Port of Call Visits - with many port of call dates coming up, we'll be open Thursday to Monday, 10am to 4pm, every week until Monday 7 September.

🏺 Heritage Open Days - we're open daily from 11 to 20 September as part of Heritage Open Days.

📅 Additional Opening Dates: 24, 27 and 28 September and 1, 2, 14 and 16 October

🍂 October Half Term We'll be open daily from 24 to 31 October during the half-term holiday.

We will then close for the season and reopen in 2027.

We look forward to welcoming you before the end of the year!



Visit White Cliffs Country - Dover, Deal and Sandwich

REPLE! Fill it up again! With the warmer weather upon us we wanted to raise this celebratory motto beaker on display at ...
19/06/2026

REPLE! Fill it up again! With the warmer weather upon us we wanted to raise this celebratory motto beaker on display at the Roman Painted House.

Motto beakers had cheery Latin exhortations painted in white and were used for social gatherings. The surviving decoration on this example has the letters R, E, and what appears to be the top part of a P which could be part of the exhortation REPLE ‘Fill it up again’.

The form is a called black slipped ware which reflects how the terracotta beaker is decorated by dipping the clay vessel into a black coloured slip, a thin solution of clay suspended in water, before firing it. The beaker is thought to be from the Moselle Valley near Trier 180AD-250AD.

The motto beaker among other archaeological finds can be seen on display at the The Roman Painted House Dover
Opening days (June–September) from 10am to 4pm:
📅 JUNE
• Saturday 20 June
• Friday 26 June
• Saturday 27 June

📅 JULY
• Saturday 4 July
• Tuesday 7 July
• Wednesday 8 July
• Friday 10 July
• Saturday 11 July
• Saturday 18 July

🌞 SUMMER HOLIDAYS (23 July – 30 August)
Open Thursday to Sunday every week

📅 Heritage Open Days open 11 – 20 September inclusive

[Image description: A reconstructed dark coloured round fluted pot with painted white swirl and dotted border decoration. There are white serifed letters R and E. It The pot is incomplete with pieces missing and the reconstruction is being supported with white acid-free tissue paper. One of the fragments is placed next to it.]

🏛️ Roman Painted House – Opening Hours (June–September)We’re delighted to welcome visitors on the following dates, from ...
17/06/2026

🏛️ Roman Painted House – Opening Hours (June–September)
We’re delighted to welcome visitors on the following dates, from 10am to 4pm:

📅 JUNE
• Saturday 20 June
• Friday 26 June
• Saturday 27 June

📅 JULY
• Saturday 4 July
• Tuesday 7 July
• Wednesday 8 July
• Friday 10 July
• Saturday 11 July
• Saturday 18 July

🌞 SUMMER HOLIDAYS (23 July – 30 August)
Open Thursday to Sunday every week

📅 Heritage Open Days open 11 – 20 September inclusive

Come and step back in time and explore one of Dover’s hidden gems!

Another Bank Holiday weekend is on the way — the perfect excuse to dive into Roman history.We’ll be open 10am to 4pm on:...
21/05/2026

Another Bank Holiday weekend is on the way — the perfect excuse to dive into Roman history.

We’ll be open 10am to 4pm on:
• Saturday 23 May
• Monday 25 May
• Thursday 28 to Sunday 31 May

And from June, we’ll be open every Saturday. Come and discover something new.

The Roman Painted House will be open on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 May from 10am to 4pm.Dover port will see its first ever ...
07/05/2026

The Roman Painted House will be open on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 May from 10am to 4pm.

Dover port will see its first ever four cruise ship day on Friday 8 May, and we're hoping to welcome some cruise ship guests as they disembark and explore the town.

There is also live music happening in Dover Market Square from 10am to 12 noon.

Photo: Copyright Historic England Archive.

Planning a Bank Holiday outing? The Roman Painted House is open Saturday 2, Sunday 3 and Monday 4 May, 10am–4pm — and en...
28/04/2026

Planning a Bank Holiday outing? The Roman Painted House is open Saturday 2, Sunday 3 and Monday 4 May, 10am–4pm — and entry is free. Step inside Dover’s Roman past.

09/04/2026

On the 99th day of the year we look to this particular Roman minted coin for the emperor, Pupienus (164-238AD), who, with his co-emperor, Balbinus, ruled for just 99 days. They were two of the six men who ruled as emperor of Rome in 238 AD in the politically turbulent Year of the Six Emperors.

Pupienus and Balbinus were initially appointed by the Senate as emperors to end the reign of emperor Maximinus Thrax, after emperors Gordian I and Gordian II died. Pupienus set out to Northern Italy to collect an army while Balbinus remained in Rome, but Maximinus was slain by his own troops. However, Pupienus and Balbinus disagreed on policy and relations deteriorated between them. Pupienus and Balbinus were then murdered by the Praetorian Guard who disagreed with their appointment. They were succeeded by Gordian III as the sole ruler of the empire.

This coin among others can be seen on display at the Roman Painted House. The Roman Painted House is open today 10am to 4pm, and on the following days:
• Thursday 9 April - Sunday 12 April
• Thursday 16 April - Sunday 19 April
• Saturday 25 April
The house will then be open every Saturday during term-time and Thursday to Sunday in the school holidays.

[Image description: An obverse of a Roman minted coin featuring a detailed profile portrait of emperor Pupienus with inscription IMP C M CLOD PVPIENVS AVG]



The Roman Painted House Dover Dover District Council Visit White Cliffs Country - Dover, Deal and Sandwich

Address

25 New Street
Dover
CT179AJ

Opening Hours

10am - 4pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Roman Painted House Dover posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category