Just opened this Summer we visited at the first available slot a few weeks ago, and were completely balled over by the standard and care taken in creating this World Class experience and Museum.
Extract from Stonewood Design...
From a simple, elegant glass elevation, the Roman Villa Museum focuses its view towards a landscape which reinterprets the ruins of Hadspen Roman Villa.
Hadspen Roman Villa was discovered in 1832 . Excavations of the site took place between 1968 and 1970. This revealed structural remains, pottery, coins and part of a mosaic floor which suggested a substantial Villa. Further excavations in 2015 revealed the true extent of the Villa and its outbuildings. It had been built, adapted and enlarged from the 3rd to the 5th centuries AD.
The Roman Villa Museum conserves and displays these archaeological finds in order to extend our knowledge of Roman Britain. A portion of the Villa, including the bath house, is on view in the centre of the Museum.
A full scale reconstruction of the Hadspen Roman Villa is viewed at all times from the Roman Villa Museum.
The remaining part of the Villa remains have been re-buried for preservation. Playful landscape design above allows visitors to appreciate the full scale of the remains below.
The reconstructed Hadspen Roman Villa enabled us to explore, through detailed research of Roman building techniques, our passion for craft, context and history in the creation of a 1:1 artefact.
The success of such a unique and ambitious project relied on the close working with our sister company
Stonewood Builders.
I shall upload the best of the pictures I took, and the minimal of comments, which I may add to perhaps after our second visit!
We started at the Visitor Centre and Interactive Centre. With its glass wall overlooking the newly constructed villa, artefacts and also facsimiles are carefully lit and mostly in glass cabinets. The headsets are set to give descriptions at any point.
Written descriptions help to understand the provenance of items, and it would take a few hours just to do this section justice.
I do like kitchenalia and there was plenty in the Museum including this magnificent Snail Storage Jar. I don't remember what snails tasted like, it is such a long time ago, and I may well try them again. Now what a way to recycle your green kitchen waste, to make more food straight away!
The walk from the Museum to the Villa gives one a clear idea of its wonderful setting, surrounded by vines, which will probably be grown in the Roman Fashion.
We entered the front of the Villa to be greeted by 'The Estate Manager' or such like who explained how the Estate worked. He was an excellent 'enactor' and just loved his Roman knowledge carefully replying to the many questions we had. Having visited Pompeii, Herculaneum, and many Roman Sections of Museums both in the UK and in Italy, we found it fascinating.
Most people coming except for private guests of the Villa Owner would not have stepped further, and business done at his desk.
The audio set took us further into the house and now we have the voice of the House Keeper, telling us about each room, and a few things about the family. She loved her mistress and not being a slave but employed, had a certain status herself.
This magnificent newly made wooden cabinet housed the Gods, and daily offering were made here.
The Guide took us into a tall double height room which was certainly designed to impress. With furniture and artefacts scattered around as if the family had just left the room.
The Bath Suite was exquisite and very inviting indeed. I wonder whether there will be special events here or even filming. I'm quite sure of that...
The next area to be visited was the Kitchen, and there was so much to take in, and the commentary excellent.
We then had a peep into the bedrooms and again the commentary explained the importance of appearance latest hairstyles, deep dyed clothes being high status, and all the shoes!
After that we entered The Master's Study, and what a grand room that was. Built to impress for sure...I don't think he keeps a very tidy desk, but he likes it that way, and knows where everything is!!!!
Finally we had a tour around the dinning room. Musicians had arrived in readiness for the party, and wine had been placed in the cupboard in readiness.
Oh that must have been an absolutely fascinating visit Noelle. We were in Shropshire for a few days last week and visited Wroxeter, near Shrewsbury which was once the fourth largest Roman settlement in the country. Mainly ruins now but also small museum and replication of a villa to visit although nowhere near as much to give you an insight into everyday life as your visit must have given you. With my mum coming from Rome I did wonder if any of my ancestors had got there before me 😂
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful city Rome...hope you have visited, it is a place I could spend weeks in. Instead we have only had tops a week, and some few shorter stays.
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