Great Witcombe Roman Villa, Gloucestershire (BAR British)

The Roman villa at Great Witcombe, Gloucestershire was discovered in 1818, and has subsequently been excavated several times, most recently by Ernest Greenfield (1960-73) whose work forms the basis of this book. By the later 3rd and 4th centuries, the villa had developed into a sumptuous country house of a courtyard plan, which included several mosaic pavements, two suites of baths and a prominent colonnaded central gallery and portico. It is suggested here that the villa belonged to the descendants of a veteran, settled on an estate established here at the foundation of the colonia at Gloucester.