The Villa Urbana was built using only tools and materials that were known to the Romans. The building of the town house had a 6 month deadline and was filmed for a Channel 4 television series called ‘Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day’. The villa is now on display to visitors of Wroxeter Roman City.
From the English Heritage guidebook:
In Roman times, labour was plentiful and cheap. This town house, however, was built by a core team of six modern builders with a range of skills, who were sometimes supplemented by local volunteers. Surveying was done using a groma, a simple instrument the Romans used to lay out straight lines and angles, timbers and stone were both shaped by hand: and human muscle-power took the place of cranes and wheelbarrows, as it would have done in Roman times. As well as avoiding modern power tools and technologies the builders had to turn their hands to many different tasks, including the mosaic and wall-paintings, which in the Roman period would have been the work of highly skilled specialists.
Now that is very interesting. At first glance I thought it looked very new and rather isolated for something so old… Now I understand.
The town of Wroxeter spread a long way and only a small part has been excavated. There are remains of villas of this type underneath the surface.
Now you made me wanna get an EH annual pass!
I have passes for English Heritage and National Trust
This is so nice I have wondered how they would look like when looking at The Time Team.
Thanks Frida, I am glad you enjoyed it
Certainly very different from the English architecture you usually post. I guess you would say it’s Roman, not British? Strange feelings that more are still underground. A bit ghostly…
This was built next to a huge Roman site which is mostly still underground. It is a fascinating place.
It’s a nice looking reconstruction. Must visit one day
I think you would enjoy the whole site.
Wonder who did the panelling.
The crafsmen that were recontsructing the building!!