Cirencester Amphitheatre

Cirencester Amphitheatre is one of the largest Roman amphitheatres in Britain, its massive grassed banks raised in the early 2nd century for Corinium, then second only to London in size, with more than 10,000 people. About 8,000 spectators sat on tiers of plank seating or stood above an arena floored with gravel and sand. After the Roman army left, the town's leaders fortified it against the Saxons; in the Middle Ages the Abbot of Cirencester used it as a rabbit warren, and its local name, the Bull Ring, hints at bull-baiting. Today visitors can climb the banks and stand in the arena, and reviewers find it well worth a quick visit. The site is run by Cirencester Town Council for English Heritage, and finds are displayed at the Corinium Museum in the town centre. The council's town walk includes the amphitheatre. Dogs on leads are welcome, and there is a small flight of steps at the entrance.