Explore Castleford’s Roman heritage with new digital experience

Wakefield Council is launching an innovative digital experience which will allow people to explore Castleford’s Roman heritage from their own home.

‘Roman Castleford Uncovered’ will launch on Saturday 13 September at the beautiful, historic Queens Mill. This exciting digital interpretation will take people on a journey through time to experience Roman Castleford 2000 years ago. Explore the Roman Bathhouse, Fort and Vicus, and discover hidden objects from the Castleford Museum’s Roman collection.

Working with local digital specialists One to One Development Trust alongside Castleford Civic Society and Castleford Heritage Trust, the project uses a new creative experience that interprets Castleford’s history using cutting edge gaming technology.

The interactive experience will showcase Castleford Museum’s collection of Roman objects by creating digital versions of the objects that people will be able to interact with.

From any smart phones or tablet devices, people will be able to:

• Explore reconstructed scenes from Roman Castleford.
• Uncover and interact with archaeological finds from the museum collection.
• Interact with an Augmented Reality Roman soldier.

Castleford was established as a Roman fort and important crossing point of the River Calder in the first century. After the fort was abandoned, Castleford continued as an important Roman settlement until the 4th Century, with evidence for the making of high-quality goods, including spoons and jewellery, and a Roman Bathhouse that was used for rest and recuperation.

The project is part of the Our Heritage Our Stories project, which is funded by a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. 
For more information or to book to attend the launch event, please visit https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/roman-castleford-uncovered.html

People can also call in to Castleford Museum all the following week, 15-20 September, (except Wednesdays when the museum is closed) to have a go with the digital interpretation. Find out more at https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/roman-castleford-uncovered-at-castleford-museum.html

Or access Roman Castleford Uncovered from a smart phone or tablet device from 15 September at https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/museums-and-castles/castleford-museum