Great Witcombe Roman Villa
Encyclopedia
Great Witcombe Roman Villa was a villa
built during the Roman occupation of Britain. It is located on a hillside at Great Witcombe, near Gloucester
in the English county of Gloucestershire
.
The villa itself is sited in an unusual location – the unevenness of the terrain, which was riddled with small streams and natural springs, would seem to render it unsuitable for such a large dwelling. It is thought, however, that these springs would have been harnessed into water features in stylised gardens, and that a cult of water nymphs
may have been cultivated around this, although this is supposition (de la Bedoyere 2002, p. 57). To cope with the difficult terrain, the building itself was constructed on four terraces, cut into the hillside and heavily buttressed, which are still evident on the gallery connecting the two main wings of the house. The architectural design of the villa differs greatly from similar dwellings from the same period, given that the main living quarters were in the large eastern wing, and a long gallery of little function connected this wing with the ‘leisure wing’ where the bath house
and temple were located. This layout reflects the evolution of the house over time—the bath house wing was a later expansion—and a consideration of the spatial restrictions of the site.
The site currently consists of the remains of low walls which give a good idea of the general shape of the building. Two parts of the bath house are protected by small sheds, not accessible to the public. Besides its unusual shape, the villa has a few features worth noting, including a bath house
and latrine
, household shrine
and an octagonal room of unknown use.
). The dressing room led to the cold room (frigidarium
) which contained a cold plunge bath and whose mosaic floor, decorated with a design of fish and sea creatures, is still well preserved under a modern protective building. This mosaic suggests an individual treatment of the standard sea animal and fish designs that circulated in copy books. The frigidarium had at least one, possibly two, plunge pools – one of these is now detached from the building owing to landslides.
The apodyterium was also connected via a slype
—a small narrow passage way—to the warm room or tepidarium
. The remains of under-floor hypocausts, which were filled in during the fourth-century, are still evident today. Around the same time the jaws of the furnace were narrowed.
The tepidarium would have led into the hot room, the caldarium, which included two hot baths, one which still contains the remains of a seat. The rooms were heated by a hypocaust – the furnace is still visible on the north side.
In the middle of the room a small cistern
can be found, a common addition to Roman temple
s. The water in the reservoir was supplied via a drainage system. A small statue and several animal bones were found in the drain, suggesting these were used for offerings.
Roman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
built during the Roman occupation of Britain. It is located on a hillside at Great Witcombe, near Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
in the English county of Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
.
Background
The Roman villa at Great Witcombe is thought to have been built during the first century AD, and was probably occupied until the fifth century AD. These date ranges are largely based upon coins found during excavations of the site (Clifford 1954, p. 25).The villa itself is sited in an unusual location – the unevenness of the terrain, which was riddled with small streams and natural springs, would seem to render it unsuitable for such a large dwelling. It is thought, however, that these springs would have been harnessed into water features in stylised gardens, and that a cult of water nymphs
Naiad
In Greek mythology, the Naiads or Naiades were a type of nymph who presided over fountains, wells, springs, streams, and brooks....
may have been cultivated around this, although this is supposition (de la Bedoyere 2002, p. 57). To cope with the difficult terrain, the building itself was constructed on four terraces, cut into the hillside and heavily buttressed, which are still evident on the gallery connecting the two main wings of the house. The architectural design of the villa differs greatly from similar dwellings from the same period, given that the main living quarters were in the large eastern wing, and a long gallery of little function connected this wing with the ‘leisure wing’ where the bath house
Thermae
In ancient Rome, thermae and balnea were facilities for bathing...
and temple were located. This layout reflects the evolution of the house over time—the bath house wing was a later expansion—and a consideration of the spatial restrictions of the site.
Remains
When the site was first excavated in the 19th century it was reported that parts of the villa were very well preserved. Walls of 6 ft high were documented, some still plastered. The bath house was one of the most complete examples known at the time and several mosaic floors were recorded. Poor conservation techniques and heavy rain have destroyed most of these features (Clifford 1954, p. 9).The site currently consists of the remains of low walls which give a good idea of the general shape of the building. Two parts of the bath house are protected by small sheds, not accessible to the public. Besides its unusual shape, the villa has a few features worth noting, including a bath house
Thermae
In ancient Rome, thermae and balnea were facilities for bathing...
and latrine
Toilet
A toilet is a sanitation fixture used primarily for the disposal of human excrement, often found in a small room referred to as a toilet/bathroom/lavatory...
, household shrine
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
and an octagonal room of unknown use.
Latrine
The latrine is located near the dressing room of the baths. The main drain on the north side was formed of stone and is still evident today. The fittings were removed in the late 4th century, but debris nearby suggests they were originally made of sandstone. The walls were plastered and coloured white with red stripes and patches of pink. The latrine was accessible via a passage-way which contained a mosaic floor. Parts of the plaster fragments of one of the walls still remain.Bath house area
The villa contained at least one substantial bath house, in the north-western wing. This included the latrine, which formed an L-shape around a dressing room (apodyteriumApodyterium
In ancient Rome, the apodyterium was the primary entry in the public baths, composed of a large changing room with cubicles or shelves where citizens could store clothing and other belongings while bathing....
). The dressing room led to the cold room (frigidarium
Frigidarium
A frigidarium is a large cold pool of Roman baths. It would be entered after the Caldarium and the Tepidarium, which were used to open the pores of the skin. The cold water would close the pores. There would be a small pool of cold water or sometimes a large Swimming pool...
) which contained a cold plunge bath and whose mosaic floor, decorated with a design of fish and sea creatures, is still well preserved under a modern protective building. This mosaic suggests an individual treatment of the standard sea animal and fish designs that circulated in copy books. The frigidarium had at least one, possibly two, plunge pools – one of these is now detached from the building owing to landslides.
The apodyterium was also connected via a slype
Slype
The term slype is a variant of slip in the sense of a narrow passage; in architecture, the name for the covered passage usually found in monasteries or cathedrals between the transept and the chapter house, as at St Andrews, Winchester, Gloucester, Exeter and St. Albans....
—a small narrow passage way—to the warm room or tepidarium
Tepidarium
The tepidarium was the warm bathroom of the Roman baths heated by a hypocaust or underfloor heating system.The specialty of a tepidarium is the pleasant feeling of constant radiant heat which directly affects the human body from the walls and floor.There is an interesting example at Pompeii; this...
. The remains of under-floor hypocausts, which were filled in during the fourth-century, are still evident today. Around the same time the jaws of the furnace were narrowed.
The tepidarium would have led into the hot room, the caldarium, which included two hot baths, one which still contains the remains of a seat. The rooms were heated by a hypocaust – the furnace is still visible on the north side.
Temple/shrine room
The shrine room was situated in the north-west wing of the villa. Its only access point seems to have been the staircase leading from rooms on a higher terrace. During the early excavations, the walls of this room were found covered with a coat of stucco painted in panels of different colours. Niches in the north wall that probably accommodated statues and a possible altar base have led the archaeologists to suggest that the room had a religious function.In the middle of the room a small cistern
Cistern
A cistern is a waterproof receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. Cisterns are often built to catch and store rainwater. Cisterns are distinguished from wells by their waterproof linings...
can be found, a common addition to Roman temple
Roman temple
Ancient Roman temples are among the most visible archaeological remains of Roman culture, and are a significant source for Roman architecture. Their construction and maintenance was a major part of ancient Roman religion. The main room housed the cult image of the deity to whom the temple was...
s. The water in the reservoir was supplied via a drainage system. A small statue and several animal bones were found in the drain, suggesting these were used for offerings.
Octagonal room
The long gallery connects to a large octagonal room in the middle which was constructed in the 4th century. It is not clear what the exact function of this unusual shaped room was, although it is generally considered to be a reception room (Ellis, 1995, p. 176). A religious function has also been suggested, but it is more likely that the room simply formed part of an imposing entrance for the building (Todd, 2005, p. 308).External links
- Great Witcombe Roman Villa, English Heritage
- Further images of the site