Calleva Atrebatum, Roman Silchester, was built upon the site of the native Atrebatic settlement of Calleva. The Atrebates appear to have been pro-Roman. Calleva (Silchester) became an important Roman town and is now an important archaeological site. In England only two other Roman towns have survived to a similar extent. The entire circuit of the wall survives and it is one of the best examples of its kind. The town was built on an easily defensible spur of gravel about 90m above sea level, with commanding views to the
of the Roman Town. The wall is accessible from a few different places, for those who do not wish to walk the whole way around.
east and south and the only access over level ground from the west. It was originally surrounded on three sides by woodland, growing on the heavy clay soils, and this aspect of the site is enshrined within the Celtic name, which can be translated as (the town in the) woods of the Atrebates.
The Wall is arguably the greatest Roman feature that Silchester has to offer, hugely popular with tourists and village residents. Three metres thick at the base, it is built of flint quarried from the chalk and brought a distance of at least 6 miles (10km). This impressive Roman Wall is easily accessible, about 15 minutes from the center of the village, or 1 minute from a large car park, right next to the wall. One great thing about the wall is that visitors are able to walk right next to it and also on top of it, gaining brilliant views