Spoonley Wood Roman Villa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spoonley Wood Roman Villa |
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Ruins in Spoonley Wood
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| General information | |
| Location | Sudeley |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 51°55′46″N 1°56′10″W / 51.92943°N 1.93611°W |
The Spoonley Wood Roman Villa is an ancient Roman villa in Gloucestershire, England. It is located about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) southeast of Sudeley Castle, near the town of Winchcombe. This large Roman home was first dug up by archaeologists in 1882.
Today, you can still see some of the villa's old walls in Spoonley Wood. One of its beautiful mosaic floors is even protected under a metal roof.
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What Was Spoonley Wood Villa Like?
This Roman villa was built on a gentle slope between two streams. It was quite large, measuring about 55 meters (180 feet) by 61 meters (200 feet). It was a "courtyard villa," meaning it had buildings arranged around an open central yard.
Not far from the main villa, about 15 to 18 meters away, archaeologists found another building. They think this might have been a barn or a place to store grain. Another Roman villa was also found nearby in 1863, about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) to the west.
How the Villa Changed Over Time
The Spoonley Wood Villa started as a "corridor villa." This means it had a long hallway connecting rooms. Later, two new sections, called "wings," were added to each end. This made it a "winged villa."
Even later, an outer wall was built to connect these two wings. This turned the villa into the "courtyard villa" we see today. Spoonley Wood is a famous example of how Roman villas could grow and change over many years.
Discovering the Ancient Villa
People had noticed old building parts in Spoonley Wood before 1877. But the real discovery happened in 1882. Workmen were looking for stone when they accidentally uncovered one of the villa's rooms.
The land belonged to Emma Dent, who also owned Sudeley Castle. She had one of the villa's amazing mosaic floors carefully moved to her castle. After this, experts like John Henry Middleton and William Bazeley began to dig up the rest of the site.
Protecting the Ruins
For two years, the villa ruins were left open to the weather and visitors. This caused damage from frost, rabbits, and people walking on them. To protect the site, Emma Dent decided to rebuild some of the walls. In some places, the walls were built up to 1.8 meters (6 feet) high.
She also had two of the remaining mosaic floors repaired. Wooden sheds were built over these mosaics to keep them safe. However, by 1945, these sheds were falling apart. By 1976, reports said the sheds had completely collapsed, and the ruins were suffering from the weather and the growing trees.
What Was Found Here?
During the excavations, many interesting items were found. These included a silver-plated bronze bowl and many coins from the 3rd and 4th centuries. They also found special Roman pottery called samian ware, along with iron knives and tools.
Most of these finds are now kept at Sudeley Castle. A base from a column can be seen at the Museum of Gloucester. Three pottery lamps are at Cheltenham Museum. A marble statue of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, was also found. This statue is now in the British Museum.
Visiting Spoonley Wood Villa Today
As of 2013, the villa site is still hidden among the trees of Spoonley Wood. However, the old walls are still easy to see. One of the repaired mosaics can still be viewed. It is protected by a small corrugated iron roof and some plastic sheeting held down by stones.
You can reach the villa by walking about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the car park at Sudeley Castle. It's a great way to see a piece of ancient Roman history!
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