Cirencester Amphitheatre

Cirencester Amphitheatre is the earthwork remains of one of the largest Roman amphitheatres in Britain, built in the early 2nd century just outside the walls of Corinium, today’s Cirencester. It could hold around 8,000 spectators. The site is on Cotswold Avenue, 0.7 mile from the town centre, and is free to visit during daylight hours.

Table of contents

• History of Cirencester Amphitheatre
• Visiting Cirencester Amphitheatre: Practical Information
• Frequently Asked Questions

History of Cirencester Amphitheatre

Corinium and the Building of Cirencester Amphitheatre

According to English Heritage, which cares for the monument with Cirencester Town Council, the amphitheatre was built just outside the walls of Corinium early in the 2nd century AD. English Heritage describes the town as second only to London in size at that period, with a population of over 10,000, and says it was at its finest just as Roman rule was collapsing across the Western Empire.

Cirencester Amphitheatre’s Design and Seating

English Heritage notes that Cirencester Amphitheatre is oval in plan, unlike the circular forms at Dorchester and Silchester, with an entrance at each end of its long axis. The massive banks that survive today once supported tiers of seats made from planking on terraced drystone walls, with an area for standing spectators, giving an estimated capacity of around 8,000. A wall separated the spectators from the arena, which was floored with fine gravel and sand; harena is the Latin word for sand.

Only the eastern entrance has been excavated. English Heritage reports that it was originally open to the sky, but towards the end of the 2nd century its passageway was vaulted in stone and extra seating was built above it. During a later rebuilding, two small rooms were created on either side of the inner end of the entrance, and one may have been a shrine to the goddess Nemesis, a common feature of amphitheatres elsewhere in the Roman Empire.

Cirencester Amphitheatre After AD 408

English Heritage records that the last contingents of the regular Roman army left Britain in AD 408. Without their pay to support the local economy, and with no central administration to keep communications open, town life rapidly declined, and no private patrons could be found to pay for the public games.

The amphitheatre then became a fortress, an attempt by the town leaders to safeguard their community. Its entrances were narrowed, a ditch was dug along the southern sides, and the remains of timber buildings from the 5th century have also been found. English Heritage says these efforts appear to have been in vain: a stronghold believed to be Cirencester is reported as falling to the advancing Saxons in AD 577.

Bull Ring: The Amphitheatre in the Middle Ages

After several centuries of abandonment, the Abbot of Cirencester enclosed the amphitheatre in the Middle Ages for use as a rabbit warren, according to English Heritage. Its local name, the Bull Ring, suggests that it may once have been used for bull-baiting, which would have been a return to its original purpose.

Visiting Cirencester Amphitheatre: Practical Information

• Address: Cotswold Avenue, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 1XW
• Entry: Free
• Opening hours: Open daily all year round during daylight hours
• Managed by: Cirencester Town Council on behalf of English Heritage, supported by the volunteer group Aqiva
• Getting there by road: Southwest of the town centre (0.7 mile / 1 km), next to the bypass. Approach from the town via Sheep Street, or along Chesterton Lane from the west end of the bypass, then on to Cotswold Avenue
• Parking: Free parking in the car park at the eastern end of Cotswold Avenue
• By bus: The main town centre stops are The Forum and Bingham House, a 0.7 mile / 1 km walk from the site
• By train: The nearest station is Kemble, 4 miles / 7 km away, with bus connections to Cirencester
• Accessibility: A small flight of steps at the entrance; parts of the site are uneven and not suitable for wheelchairs
• Dogs: Dogs on leads are welcome
• Facilities: Shops, toilets and food outlets are in Cirencester town centre
• Please note: Smoking, vaping, barbecues and naked flames are not permitted, and cycling is not allowed on site
• Drones: See English Heritage’s drone guidance before flying
• Nearby: The Corinium Museum in the town centre holds artefacts and more information about the amphitheatre; Cirencester Town Council’s town walk includes the monument; Great Witcombe Roman Villa is another English Heritage Roman site in Gloucestershire

Prices last checked: October 2026

Opening hours last checked: October 2026

Source: English Heritage, Cirencester Amphitheatre and directions.

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Frequently Asked Questions