Villa Rustica (Wellow)

The Villa Rustica bei Wellow is a former Roman manor ( Villa rustica ) on the area of ​​today's parish Wellow in the county of Somerset in England . The Roman estate is located north of the "Wellow Road", around 600 meters west of the village of Wellow, not far from the Wellow Brook .

The remains of the complex were found in 1685 and some of them were excavated. At that time a large mosaic in particular was uncovered, which was also drawn. Further investigations took place in 1787 and 1807. From 1820 to 1821 there were further excavations, which now also produced a plan of the entire villa.

The villa consisted of a system with three wings that were grouped around a courtyard. The main entrance was probably in the south, where the courtyard was only limited by a wall. The main house was opposite to the north and had a portico at the front and at the rear. In the center of this main house there was a hall adorned with a large mosaic. The hall was about 10.46 x 8 meters. The mosaic is now lost, but drawings still exist that were made during the excavations of 1685 and 1807. In 1685 about half of the mosaic was still preserved, in 1823 only a small part. The representation in the middle of the mosaic can no longer be clearly recognized in the drawing, but Orpheus was probably once shown here, as can be deduced from parallels. In the main house there were other mosaics, most of which showed geometric patterns and which were largely still in good condition in 1823. Today they are all lost. They were probably laid out by a workshop to which other mosaics are attributed which are now grouped together in archeology as the Southern Dobunnic Group .

literature

• Stephen R. Cosh, David S. Neal: Roman Mosaics of Britain. Volume 2: South-West Britain. Illuminata Publishers for the Society of Antiquaries of London, London 2005, ISBN 0-9547916-1-4 , pp. 292-298.

Coordinates: 51 ° 19 ′ 13.5 "  N , 2 ° 23 ′ 29.9"  W.