Frocester Court Roman villa

Frocester Court Roman villa stands in a quiet field near Frocester in Gloucestershire, about ten kilometres south of Gloucester. It was a working farm for Roman owners, built around AD 275 on strong stone foundations that once supported two storeys. The first building measured thirty-two by ten metres and had a large central room with three smaller rooms at each end. One narrow room probably held a staircase to the upper floor. Excavations between 1961 and 1969 showed the villa grew over time. A portico with two projecting wings was added to the front, and its floor was laid with mosaic. A row of small rooms was built at the back, and four column bases on the north side suggest an open veranda once stood there. Around AD 360 a bath suite was constructed in the northern wing. Walls still carry traces of painted plaster, and a decorated glass vessel was found among many small finds. Coins show the farm remained in use until the fifth century. Visitors today walk over the partly walled courtyard where an ancient drive once led to the entrance. On either side of the drive archaeologists uncovered flower beds and planting trenches. The remains of the villa and its outbuildings lie open to view, with low walls marking the rooms and the bath block. A well was also excavated, adding to the picture of daily life. The site is quiet, with only the wind in the grass to recall the centuries of occupation.