A visit to 'Shropshire's Pompeii'
Here’s a frosty sunrise at Wroxeter, near Shrewsbury, once the fourth largest Roman city in Britain and almost the same size as Pompeii.
I really like the warm golden light on the old bricks and the way the mist swirls around the Wrekin in the background.
Wroxeter, which was known to the Romans as Viroconium, was founded as a legionary fortress in the 1st century.
It later developed into a thriving civilian city, populated by retired soldiers and traders, and acted as the tribal capital of the Cornovii. At its height, more than 5,000 people lived here.
Wroxeter was inhabited until around the 7th century and the site was then lost for centuries until it was rediscovered in the Victorian era.
Happily, its relatively remote location meant that little of what remained had been disturbed by later occupation.
Today, the most impressive features include the 2nd century municipal baths and the remains of the huge wall which divided them from the exercise hall in the heart of the city.
Visitors to the site can also explore the new Roman Town House, which was constructed as part of the Channel 4 TV series Rome Wasn't Built in a Day.
The programme followed six modern tradesmen as they built the house using only traditional Roman methods.
EQUIPMENT USED: Nikon D850 camera and Nikkor 70-200mm f/4 lens
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