There are fragments of Romani Gypsy history all over the UK – if one knows where to look

Romani Gypsy people have lived in the British Isles since arriving in the early 1500s, often leading nomadic lifestyles due to their cultural heritage, as well as the suspicion and persecution that have kept them on the fringes of society. And, while nomadism is far less common for Romani Gypsies in the United Kingdom today than at any time in their history, there are still an estimated 225,000 people of Romani Gypsy heritage living in the country. Yet, despite their invaluable contributions to food, art, language and beyond across centuries, it can be difficult to spot tangible fragments of Romani Gypsy history across the UK, unless you know where – and how – to look. In this short film, the UK writer and archaeologist John Henry Phillips takes a walk through the Suffolk countryside in the east of England, exploring how fragments of Romani Gypsy history persist in the region’s overgrown meadows, streetscapes and even remnants of hostile architecture, which were once constructed to impede their movement.