About The Clayton Roman Trust

The Clayton Collection of Roman Antiquities is a registered Charitable Trust formed to care for material generously donated by John Maurice Clayton. It owns a very substantial and important collection of Roman artefacts found over the last 150 years along Hadrian’s Wall. This collection is owned and managed by the board of Trustees in accordance with the original Trust Deed dated 21 November 1930. The Trustees often accept appropriate additions to the Collection.

The Collection is maintained for the Trustees by English Heritage. Some of the more important items in the Collection are displayed in the newly refurbished English Heritage Museum at Chesters Roman Fort. The Museum first opened in 1896 - was purpose built to hold the Collection. A large number of the reserve collection are kept in secure storage. Items are from time to time loaned to other museums but the Collection is kept so far as possible at Chesters, close to where so much of it was found.

In addition to general public access to the Museum, the Trustees may on request allow professionals, students and interested members of the public to view the items which are not on public display. It is the Trustees’ intention to keep the Collection as accessible as possible, while at the same time ensuring its security.

The Trustees