History of the Society

Under construction

 Tony Rook together with his wife Merle Rook founded the organisation in 1960 after the discovery of Roman tiles being dumped on a spoil-heap during the construction of a motorway. Rescuing tiles led to the discovery of Dicket Mead Roman Villa. WAS challenged the local authorities and were able to preserve the remains of the Roman baths in a steel vault 30ft under the A1(M) motorway in Welwyn, Hertfordshire. The baths are open to the public every day during Herts school holidays from 14:00 to 17:00 or (dusk if earlier), and outside school holiday periods at weekends and bank holidays 14:00 to 17:00 (or dusk if earlier). A full detailed account of the story was published by Tony Rook in ‘The Story of Welwyn Roman Baths’ 2002.

The Welwyn Archaeological Society is now under the directorship of Dr Kris Lockyear, BA, MSc, PhD, FSA, Senior Lecturer at University College London.

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