^TM

Finding Roman History in the Heart of England

By Marilyn Loeser

With the important Roman towns of Gloucester and Cirencester nearby, it stands to reason that impressive Roman villas once dotted the Cotswold countryside. But it wasn’t until 1864 that the remains of Chedworth Roman Villa were discovered.

It was a local gamekeeper, digging for his lost ferret, who discovered the long forgotten villa. The property was then owned by the Earl of Eldon and he financed the excavation, paid for roofing to be erected over the mosaics and built a museum to house the treasures unearthed on his property.

Visitors today find an easy to navigate — and understand — site beginning with an introductory video in the visitors’ center.

Moving slowly, almost reverently, through the ruins, visitors find evidence of more than a mile of walls, two bathhouses, a water shrine, dining room and several fine mosaics.

Of the 23 rooms discovered, 11 rooms are known to have mosaics, five on display for guests as they stroll through the remains of one of the largest Romano-British villas in the country — a 1700 year-old stately home.

Guests in the 21st century find much of what travelers discovered here more than a century ago.

Covered for centuries with dirt and debris, skilled historians and archeologists unearthed the ruins, and through the art of illustration and easy-to-understand explanations of what life as a Roman in Britain was like, have painted a picture for guests so they can better understand what once stood here and the early advancements of the Roman Empire, its appreciation of leisure and art, and their contributions to world history.

For me, the mosaics were the most intriguing and the image I readily see when I think back to the spring day I strolled through the ruins and took pleasure in learning about this culture.

Although the villa had modest beginnings, during the 4th century major changes were made to the building resulting in the villa's grand appearance. In the early part of the century the Garden Court was created by extending the south and west areas with additional rooms. Open verandahs were added, and a fourth verandah was constructed midway along the south and north ranges to complete the enclosed quadrangle.

One of the bath houses was partially converted into a sauna, or dry heat bath, and a new Turkish damp heat bath was constructed. Construction was completed by the end of the 4th century after a large dining suite was added.

The National Trust bought the property in 1924. The villa is one of their top ten visited sites.

If you go:

Chedworth Roman Villa is open from March through mid-November.

For more information and admission charges, visit the National Trust website at nationaltrust.org.uk/main/.

For further information on other area attractions and accommodations, visit the website www.cotswold.gov.uk.

Back to TravelLady Magazine