Llantwit Major Roman Villa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Llantwit Major Roman Villa |
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|---|---|
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Romano-British Villa |
| Location | Llantwit Major, Wales |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 51°25′09″N 3°29′56″W / 51.4192°N 3.4989°W |
| Construction started | 2nd century |
| Demolished | 4th century |
The Llantwit Major Roman Villa was a large Roman country home. It was built in what is now Llantwit Major in Wales. This important historical site shows us how people lived long ago.
Llantwit Major Roman Villa
A Roman villa was like a big farm estate. It often included a fancy house for the owner. There were also buildings for workers and farm animals. The Llantwit Major Roman Villa was shaped like the letter 'L'. It had a central courtyard, which was an open space in the middle.
This villa was located in a place called Caermead. This is just north of the town of Llantwit Major. It was part of Roman Britain, a time when the Roman Empire ruled parts of Britain.
Discovering the Past
People first found the villa in 1887. This was a very exciting discovery! Later, archaeologists dug up the site. They did this in 1938-1939 and again in 1948. Another dig happened in 1971. These digs helped us learn a lot about the villa.
Life at the Villa
The area might have been used even before the Romans. Some people think there was a settlement here during the British Iron Age. The first stone building was put up in the 2nd century. This means it was built between the years 101 and 200 AD.
The villa grew slowly over time. It might have even been empty for a while in the 3rd century. But by the 4th century, it was a busy place. The main house had beautiful mosaic floors. These floors were made from many small colored stones.
There was also a large building with aisles. This was probably for farm workers. Many smaller farm buildings were also on the site. They almost surrounded the central courtyard.
What Happened After?
Part of the villa site was later used as a burial ground. This happened in the early medieval period. During the 1971 digs, archaeologists found two burials. These graves were dug right through the mosaic floors of some rooms. Another skeleton was found in a corridor.
Some people thought the villa was linked to Saint Illtud. He founded a church in Llantwit Major in the 6th century. However, no proof has been found to support this idea.
