Woodchester Roman Villa

Last updated

Samuel Lysons' drawing of the Orpheus mosaic (detail) LysonsWoodchesterOrpheus-1-.jpg
Samuel Lysons' drawing of the Orpheus mosaic (detail)

Woodchester Roman Villa was situated at Woodchester near Stroud in the English county of Gloucestershire.

It is one of many Roman villas discovered in Gloucestershire and was occupied between the early 2nd and late 4th centuries AD. There is now nothing visible of the villa above ground and the site is occupied by a later churchyard. The villa's most famous feature is the Orpheus mosaic, the second largest of its kind in Europe and one of the most intricate. It dates to c. AD 325 and was re-discovered by Gloucestershire-born antiquarian Samuel Lysons in 1793. It has been uncovered seven times since 1880, the last time in 1973, but there are no plans to reveal it again. It depicts Orpheus charming all forms of life with his lyre and has been praised for its accuracy and beauty.

A replica mosaic, made of more than one-and-a-half million pieces of stone, was created by brothers John and Bob Woodward, who were inspired after seeing the original pavement. The replica was displayed at Prinknash Abbey in Gloucester, England before being auctioned in June 2010 for £75,000. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lullingstone Roman Villa</span> Roman villa in Britain

Lullingstone Roman Villa is a villa built during the Roman occupation of Britain, situated in Lullingstone near the village of Eynsford in Kent, south-eastern England. The villa is located in the Darent Valley, along with six others, including those at Crofton, Crayford and Dartford. Constructed in the 1st century, perhaps around 80–90 AD, the house was repeatedly expanded and occupied until it was destroyed by fire in the 4th or 5th century. The villa was occupied over various periods within the Romano-British period, but after its destruction, it is only thought to have been reoccupied during the medieval period. The occupants were most likely wealthy Romans or native Britons who had adopted Roman customs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mosaic</span> Image made from small colored tiles

A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly popular in the Ancient Roman world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stroud</span> Town in Gloucestershire, England

Stroud is a market town and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England. It is the main town in Stroud District. The town's population was 13,500 in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woodchester</span> Human settlement in England

Woodchester is a Gloucestershire village in the Nailsworth Valley, a valley in the South Cotswolds in England, running southwards from Stroud along the A46 road to Nailsworth. The parish population taken at the 2011 census was 1,206.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glevum</span> Roman fort, predecessor to Gloucester, UK

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Villa Romana del Casale</span> World Heritage Site in Sicily

The Villa Romana del Casale is a large and elaborate Roman villa or palace located about 3 km from the town of Piazza Armerina, Sicily. Excavations have revealed one of the richest, largest, and most varied collections of Roman mosaics in the world, for which the site has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The villa and artwork contained within date to the early 4th century AD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lydney Park</span> Country estate in Gloucestershire, UK

Lydney Park is a 17th-century country estate surrounding Lydney House, located at Lydney in the Forest of Dean district in Gloucestershire, England. It is known for its gardens and Roman temple complex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brading Roman Villa</span> Archaeological museum in Brading, England

Brading Roman Villa was a Roman courtyard villa which has been excavated and put on public display in Brading on the Isle of Wight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nympsfield</span> Human settlement in England

Nympsfield is a village and civil parish in the English county of Gloucestershire. It is located around four miles south-west of the town of Stroud. As well as Nympsfield village, the parish contains the hamlet of Cockadilly. The population taken at the 2011 census was 382.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Littlecote Roman Villa</span> Building in Hungerford

Littlecote Roman Villa is an extensive and exceptional Roman villa, with associated religious complex, at Littlecote Park just over a mile west of Hungerford, Berkshire. It has been excavated and is on display to the public in the grounds of the estate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Low Ham Roman Villa</span>

The Low Ham Roman Villa was a Roman courtyard villa located near Low Ham in the civil parish of High Ham in the English county of Somerset. It is best known for the extraordinary figured mosaic depicting the story of Aeneas and Dido.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingscote, Gloucestershire</span> Human settlement in England

Kingscote is a village and civil parish in the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England, set on the uplands near the south western edge of the Cotswold hills. It is situated about two miles (3 km) east of Uley, five miles (8 km) east of Dursley and four miles (6 km) west of Tetbury. The landscape is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The hamlet of Newington Bagpath lies to the west of the village; the parish lands extend near to the small village of Owlpen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samuel Lysons</span> English antiquarian and engraver

Samuel Lysons was an English antiquarian and engraver who, together with his elder brother Daniel Lysons (1762–1834), published several works on antiquarian topics. He was one of the first archaeologists to investigate Roman sites in Britain, and specialised in the study of mosaics.

Petuaria was originally a Roman fort situated where the town of Brough in the East Riding of Yorkshire now stands. Petuaria means something like 'quarter' or 'fourth part', incorporating the archaic Brythonic *petuar, 'four'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kings Weston Roman Villa</span>

Kings Weston Roman Villa is a Roman villa in Lawrence Weston in the north-west of Bristol. The villa was discovered during the construction of the Lawrence Weston housing estate in 1947. Two distinct buildings were discovered. The Eastern building was fully excavated, the other lies mostly below Long Cross road. Finds from the site are now held in the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orpheus mosaic</span>

Orpheus mosaics are found throughout the Roman Empire, normally in large Roman villas. The scene normally shown is Orpheus playing his lyre, and attracting birds and animals of many species to gather around him. Orpheus was a popular subject in classical art, and was also used in Early Christian art as a symbol for Christ.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paphos Archaeological Park</span> Archaeological park in Cyprus

Paphos Archaeological Park contains the major part of the important ancient Greek and Roman city and is located in Paphos, southwest Cyprus. The park, still under excavation, is within the Nea Pafos section of the coastal city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boxmoor Roman Villa</span>

Boxmoor Roman Villa is a ruined Roman Villa at Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. The remains have been excavated, but they are now buried. The Roman villa was occupied from the first century AD up to the Fourth century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winterton Roman villa</span> Building in grid reference , United Kingdom

Winterton Roman villa is a Roman villa in Winterton, North Lincolnshire. It was discovered in 1747.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rutland Roman villa</span> Roman villa in Rutland, England

The Rutland Roman villa is a Romano-British villa site in Rutland, England. The site was listed as a scheduled monument by Historic England on 23 November 2021. The villa includes the first example of a mosaic in Britain which depicts scenes from Homer's Iliad.

References

  1. "Replica mosaic sells for £75,000". 24 June 2010. Retrieved 8 August 2018 via www.bbc.co.uk.

51°43′36″N2°14′01″W / 51.7266°N 2.2336°W / 51.7266; -2.2336