Gloucester’s King’s Bastion Tours Expected to Resume in 2025

Public visits to a Roman monument located beneath a shopping center are anticipated to resume in 2025. The King’s Bastion, which lies under the King’s Walk Shopping Centre in Gloucester, has been removed from Historic England’s Heritage at Risk register. This monument, unearthed in 1960 during the construction of the shopping center, was placed on the register in 2022 following a flood in its chamber. City archaeologist Andrew Armstrong commented: “It’s an example of how special the heritage of Gloucester is.” The King’s Bastion is maintained within a chamber situated two meters below ground level; however, the pumps designed to keep the area dry malfunctioned two years prior. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Gloucester City Council has since repaired these pumps and conducts regular inspections of the chamber to confirm the absence of any permanent environmental harm. The monument comprises the standing remnants of a section of Roman city walls, reaching nearly three meters in height in certain areas. Additionally, it incorporates the remains of a medieval defensive tower constructed upon these walls. Councillor Sarah Sawyer stated that the council is “delighted” by the site’s removal from the at-risk register. She further added, “We remain committed to the care and maintenance of all historic monuments and buildings in our ownership.” Mr Armstrong indicated that the council intends to enhance public access to the site and repair its lighting system prior to its reopening. Mr Armstrong concluded, “This is quite dramatic. It’s scale makes a lot of people quite surprised.” He described it as “It’s a beautiful gem.”