Roman water wheel reconstruction project (CITY 986)

Clients: Swiss Re

Author: Nick Bateman

Site supervisor: Ian Blair

The considerable timber and iron remains of a partially destroyed Roman water-lifting device were excavated by MoLAS in 2001. For 2002 the Museum of London decided to commission a full-scale reconstruction of this amazing piece of ancient engineering and sought and obtained sponsorship from Swiss Re to this end. Discussion with the well-known TV programme, Time Team, led to the decision to film the entire process, from initial debate over technical drawings to practical discussion of how best to raise heavy blocks of worked timber in heavy rain.

For the archaeologists involved this project was a valuable and unusual opportunity to turn ideas into reality: to see whether interpretations which looked fine on paper really could work in practice. For the Museum it was an opportunity to create an exciting new interactive display. For the viewer it was a fascinating insight into how many ways there can be of constructing historical truth.

Over a period of several months in 2002 a team comprising MOL curators, MoLAS archaeologists and conservators involved in the excavations, civil engineers, MoLAS ancient wood-working specialists, and builders McCurdys & Co – all under the watchful eye of television filming crews from Time Team – worked up `proof of concept´ drawings into a fully operational device of several tons weight. Finally, in late autumn 2002, the wheel ground round for the first time and water poured from the exit channel.

The machine is still in regular operation at the Museum and undergoing a series of controlled trials which will provide us with fascinating new understanding of Roman London´s water supply. The Time Team programme was broadcast in April 2003, following a repeat of their earlier documentary, which traced the excavation of the original site, first broadcast the previous year. Several million people tuned into both programmes which were highly regarded.

This site report is extracted from MoLAS 2003: annual review