PAULINE LEIGHTON travels back in time to historic Cirencester for some classical luxury, Roman style

IT is somehow comforting to know that spa and massage treatments enjoyed by the Romans 1,700 or so years ago in what was then one of Britain’s biggest towns can still be experienced in pretty much the same spot today – the heart of Cirencester, that is.

Located in Market Place, The Kings Head has a history to be proud of, dating to the 14th Century.

However the Roman Army was there as early as AD 49 until a couple of decades later they packed up their kit bags, dismantled their fortress and headed west for the new frontier, leaving the town of Corinium to evolve and thrive in their wake.

This it did for the next four centuries, becoming at one stage the second largest town in Roman Britain.

And throughout the decades, I think we can be assured, many of Corinium’s inhabitants enjoyed the time honoured Roman pleasure of bathing and massage.

The tradition continues today in some style at The Kings Head where an award winning Vaulted Spa and an adjoining gymnasium can be found in the almost catacomb-like tunnels beneath the landmark structure.

This is where I was treated to a Lubatti Pure Luxury Indulgence … 80 minutes of sheer bliss which included an eye and lip treatment, facial, exfoliation and a wonderful back massage.

A few minutes in the relaxation room afterwards was enough to let me know that I needed to get moving, or I would be snoozing in its comfortable depths for most of the day.

According to our sat-nav, Cirencester – the largest town in the Cotswolds - is a 17 minute drive along the A419 from Swindon and we made it in just over 20 – not bad for the early evening rush hour. Just a short distance but in many ways another world – or at least in Market Place and its’ adjoining network of roads and walkways that are lined with assorted traditional Cotswold stone buildings that together create picture postcard images of an Olde English Town.

One of the first things you notice when entering The Kings Head is a great big hole in the floorboards. Don’t worry, it’s got one of those heavy duty glass floors that you can tread on while peering down at the remnant of an original Roman mosaic. How cool is that?

The ancient 45-room hotel has undergone a somewhat dramatic makeover since I last darkened its doorstep many years ago. It was nice and cosy back then, but a trifle tired and worn, as I recall.

It is still nice and cosy but also fashionably chic - a modern, 21st Century gloss having been tastefully added without compromising the building’s historic stature and fabric.

The aforementioned doorstep has changed too after being replaced with a glass frontage that opens to reveal exposed stonework and a low-lit circular polished wood bar — no wonder The Kings Head was brimming with locals out for an evening drink as well as hotel guests enjoying snifter before dinner on the evening of our stay.

The spacious, open plan interior, with its many old fashioned brick and stone fireplaces, includes a dining area which doubles as a portrait gallery.

From Leonardo da Vinci and Jimi Hendrix to Barack Obama and Princess Margaret, all manner of famous, diverse visages gaze at us from down the centuries while we are tucking in — see how many you can spot!

To compare The Kings Head with the Tardis would be something of an exaggeration as its façade is indeed substantial. But inside, it is about three times bigger than you might expect.

Our tour of the building was an absolute eye opener as we were led through what seemed like a maze of bars, conference rooms and subterranean function spaces that you would hardly have guessed existed.

There is even a roof-top lawn where drinks can be enjoyed come the summer months, while another section of the four-storey building envelops Cirencester’s antiques market at the adjoining Corn Hall which is lined with stalls containing a vast range of curios and collectables.

 Pauline Leighton stayed at The Kings Head, 24 Market Place, Cirencester GL7 2NR. To book a room, or just a table for dinner, visit kingshead-hotel.co.uk, telephone 01285 700 900 or email info@
kingshead-hotel.co.uk