Kings Weston Roman Villa facts for kids
The site of the villa
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Established | 1947 |
|---|---|
| Location | Long Cross, Lawrence Weston, Bristol BS11 0LP, England |
| Type | Roman villa |
| Public transit access | Bus |
Kings Weston Roman Villa is a cool Roman villa located in Lawrence Weston, a part of north-west Bristol. This ancient Roman home was found in 1947. Workers discovered it while they were building new houses in the area.
Archaeologists found two main buildings at the site. One building was fully dug up and explored between 1948 and 1950. The other building is still mostly hidden under a road called Long Cross. Many interesting items found at the villa are now kept safe at the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.
When you visit Kings Weston Roman Villa, you can see some amazing things. It has the only Roman bath suite in Bristol! You can also admire two original mosaic floors from the 3rd century. Plus, you can learn all about how the Romans used central heating. The villa is open to the public for special events and on certain open days. If it's not an open day, you can sometimes get a key from Blaise Castle or the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery to explore it.
Exploring the Villa's Past
Archaeologists George C. Boon and John Clevedon Brown led the digs at the Eastern building. They found many clues about what life was like long ago.
Discoveries and Daily Life
Underneath a mosaic floor, they found a special Roman heating system called a hypocaust. This system used hot air to warm the rooms from below. They also found the remains of a man who was about 50 years old. He seemed to have died a long time ago, possibly during a difficult time in the late 4th or early 5th century AD.
Archaeologists found two other sets of human remains nearby. They also uncovered parts of decorated walls and more mosaic floors. Evidence of Roman underfloor heating and bath suites showed how advanced Roman homes could be.
When Was the Villa Used?
By looking at old coins and other clues, like a special burial of a young pig, experts believe people lived at this site since the 3rd century AD. The main building had a very large hall. This type of layout was common in places like Great Britain and Germany during Roman times.
Archaeologist J. T. Smith suggested that these large buildings might have been used by big family groups, not just a small family. This gives us a peek into how Roman families might have lived together.
