chedworth roman villa

BigFatBudgie

I am glad I am a National Trust member. We would have paid nearly £20 to get in, which is a rip off. Parking is not great either.There is not much here. I expected it to be like the Roman palace in Chichester or amphitheatre in Caerleon, the Roman remains near Silchester or remains in Wroxeter. Chedworth fell far short of them all. Just a few broken mosaics.The Cafe had little choice and poor, unfriendly service.

MillsWalbyoff

Very interesting place - we took the free guided tour which was very thorough. All the staff were friendly and helpful with lots going on. Plenty for both adults and children. (We were lucky as it was a fine day but I would not really recommend on a wet day). A bit of a problem parking until the place opens properly in March.

890JeremyL

The floor-plan/foundations of this Roman Villa is well marked out with some outstanding mosaics and a clearly displayed hypocaust system. Covered walkways in the dining room & bath area suggest the internal scale and hint at the decorations (but are not a reconstruction.) The literature on Roman life is excellent, with activities for children, explanation of mosaics, bathing, board games etc. The guides were very engaging.

Smithythefish

The staff were very friendly and welcoming the site was well maintained and educational especially for younger children. The brass rubbing and mosaic area was great fun and also to have a man dressed in roman regalia added to the atmosphere. The cafe was clean and well staffed and the selection of food helped us on our way.

OlasM

As members of the National Trust, we had wanted to visit for some time but had somehow never got round to it. We now wish we'd been before! The place is absolutely fascinating and its great to see work continuing on uncovering and preserving the site for the future.When we arrived there was a free guided tour about to start and we are really glad we managed to join it. The guide gave an insight that we just wouldn't have had walking around on our own. The mosaics are fantastic but the overall layout and activities that went on in each area are amazing. A great piece of our history that is incredible in its sophistication and holds learning points even for today's generation. We will be visiting again soon!

730ameliah

we visited in November and it was freezing, so the inside areas were a welcome relief. The mosiac flooring is stunning and i'm glad the site has had recent renovations to help preserve them. We arrived in time for a guided tour which was good, albeit cold. we definitely learnt a lot more than we would have on our own and the lady knew her stuff. It's a surprising location for a Roman Villa, and worth a visit. With the tour we were there a couple hours in total. We are also life time members of the NT so visited for free, i'm not sure of the prices.

Vixenator

Visited with my 5 and 7 year old girls and met my mum and her partner who are nearer 60. We all had a great time. Not one of the biggest NT places I have visited BUT it has so much going on and we were all fascinated by the Roman history. There were lots of activities for the kids including dressing up, badge making, rubbings, lady showing about wool being span and dyed, etc, etc. Staff were so friendly and helpful and it helped that it was a beautiful day as parts were outside or you walked between buildings. Quick note: it is illegal to touch a Roman snail (giant snail as big as my fist). There is one sign I saw in reception by chance, but no one mentioned this on arrival which I think they should have. Fascinating creatures though. The villa is in the middle of nowhere (it seems) and very quiet area. My sat nav took me down very (!!!) narrow and winding roads and through some beautiful villages. Beware of these roads as I had to reverse a long way to allow cars past. The villa us signposted though so I knew I was on the right track. Overall a fantastic day out and will be returning soon! Highly recommended!

SubO_7

Called in to the Roman Villa on the way home. What a treat. The new covered facilities really show off the mosaics and the design of the building to its best. The guided tour by a member of staff was very good and well worth waiting for although you can explore on your own. A recent dig by the University of Birmingham uncovered a new mosaic and new evidence which meant a change in what was previously thought about the layout of the site. The team are coming back next summer so watch this space!What seems a little disappointing is that the National Trust has had the site since 1926 and has only last year really put any effort into preserving the site. There is much more still to be done and much more could be made of this splendid site in a lovely rural setting.

AlanaS120

I'll admit that we came across the Chedworth Roman Villa by pure accident (saw a sign on the side of the road on our way to Bath) but it has been one of the highlights of our trip to date! We arrived just in time to take a guided tour (led by the wonderful Deanna) and she took us on an almost two hour journey into the Roman occupation of the site, its subsequent discovery by the Victorians and the ongoing work being done to discover new insights and conserve the site. The guide was passionate about the subject as she is also involved in the archeology of the site and this enthusiasm really made the tour so enjoyable. The mosaics that have been uncovered are AMAZING! They are largely in original condition and are being preserved beautifully. The new building sits atop some of the mosaics and was designed to give a close view of the mosaics while preserving them at the same time. Highly recommended - it has been a total highlight of our trip!! The site will continue to evolve and I would love the have the opportunity to came back and see it again.

swift-simba

The mosaics at this site are incredible. They are in a covered building and very well presented and lit. They are in a number of styles and must have been awe inspiring when they were first found. The other architecture that remains is really interesting too. We were quite surprised that when you examine the mosaics closely they are not made of uniform peaces .the rest of the site is good to explore to. there are also places to have a picnic too.There are a few finds in a victorian building to see as well.The SAT nav was very good at finding it. During the summer parking could be tricky.Well worth a visit .

bpk777

A wonderful little surprise here. Fantastic Roman mosaics hidden in the bucolic English countryside. Thank goodness for GPS--or we would never have found this great site.

GillyB57

We chose a bad day to visit this place - it was at a half term weekend and there were too many people around to spend any length of time inside the new conservation building. However what we did see of the mosaics we enjoyed and some of the information boards contained interesting facts. We purchased a book on the place so that we can study the mosaic photos again and again.

rosemaryc684

We thought the Villa was amazing and the whole visit was made by the Guide's talk. His name was Roger and he brought the place to life. We learned many new facts about the Romans and thought the mosaics were stunning. Well worth a visit.

GrrlLovin

Visited on a rainy October day; staff were friendly and it was amazing sight too see, nestled in the Cotswolds. Plenty of information to explain what you were seeing. Would go again in the summer.

sandraclaire

We were lucky to see the great new building housing part of the villa which keeps it preserved. There were enormous mosaic floors and areas of hot, cold and steam baths where the owners could relax. Discovered in Victorian times there is still plenty to uncover.