Roman Villa, Chedworth

Cradled in a beautiful Cotswold valley, rests the remains of one of the grandest Roman villas in Britain, Chedworth Roman Villa.
It was rediscovered by the Victorians over 150 years ago. Leading the way in archaeology and conservation, Chedworth provides a unique insight into life during the Roman period in Britain.
The history of Chedworth Roman Villa stretches back nearly 2,000 years to when the villa was a place of wealth, luxury and comfort.

The villa was built in phases from the early 2nd century to the 5th century, with the 4th-century construction transforming the building into an elite dwelling arranged around three sides of a courtyard. The 4th-century building included a heated and furnished west wing containing a dining room (triclinium) with a fine mosaic floor, as well as two separate bathing suites: one for damp-heat and one for dry-heat.

The Grand Dining Room

Depicted in the tiles of the grand dining room (triclinium) are the God of Wine, Bacchus, and his lover, Ariadne, along with fluted bowls with jewelled rims overflowing with acanthus leaves.
Cupids representing each season are depicted in the four corners of the mosaic floor.

 
Changing Room (Apodyterium)

A modern conservation building provides exceptional access to the extensive mosaic floors, hypocaust systems, and bath house rooms. And a small museum houses a range of finds and artefacts from the villa.

 

 

 The baths 

At Chedworth, you can also see the remains of the baths, which were an essential ingredient in the guest's experience in the Roman era. The West Range bath suite was a very special place. Only guests of a high social status would be invited.
Bathing together, in this private space, was an essential part of business and social networking. This was exclusive bathing for the elite.

An ancient version of our saunas, steam rooms and cold plunge

 

 The Corridor (the longest mosaic of its kind in Britain)

 

The Spring

The spring water was fed into an eight-sided pool with stone coping slabs. From here the water went to the villa buildings.

However, deeper, more spiritual tales can also be found here. These are the remains of what is known as the Nymphaeum. This is where a natural spring is captured and a shrine to the female spirits of nature, or nymphs was built.

 

 

 

 

 

 Unknown Room

 

 

 The museum

The museum houses fascinating artefacts which have been unearthed during on-site excavations at Chedworth Roma Villa. They give an insight into the different religions which would have been worshipped here and you can see Roman jewellery, figurines, coins and more.

 

 Roman snail (Helix Pomatia)

These large, pale snails were brought to the villa as a popular delicacy of Romano-British cuisine over 1,800 years ago and are still here today.
The snails prefer the cooler areas of the villa site during the warmer months and hibernate during the winter.  Uniquely for a species originated elsewhere, Roman snails are protected and can only be handled by those with a special licence.

A local archaeologist, Welbore St Clair Baddeley, raised enough money by public subscription to buy Chedworth Roman Villa and pass it to the National Trust in 1924. Ever since, the Trust has worked hard to understand more about the villa and protect it for future generations.