The Newt in Somerset, England, is built on a site with significant history. Recent excavations uncovered Roman remains dating to 351 A.D., and The Newt has honored these discoveries with a carefully reconstructed Romano-British villa that sits over the original footprint.
© The Newt in Somerset
Opened alongside a new visitor center and interactive museum, the recreated fourth-century villa—named Villa Ventorum—sits directly above the archaeological remains. A multidisciplinary team of archaeologists, architects, engineers and traditional craftsmen collaborated on what is one of the most ambitious Roman villa reconstructions in Britain. The project positions The Newt alongside other major historical attractions in England, and now the villa and museum welcome the public to explore Roman Somerset in an immersive, educational setting.
© The Newt in Somerset
Villa Ventorum, which translates as the Villa of the Winds, interprets the lifestyle of an upper-class Roman household. The reconstruction includes living quarters, kitchens and a fully functioning complex of Roman baths. The villa is laid out in a T-shaped plan and is set within carefully designed grounds that include a vineyard garden, ponds and agricultural fields covering more than ten acres.
The visitor experience goes beyond visual interpretation to include the sounds and scents of daily Roman life. The journey begins in the museum, where exhibits explain the archaeological discoveries from the original site and show how those finds informed the design and construction of the reconstructed villa. Interactive displays and modern technology are used to help guests imagine life in the fourth century.
© The Newt in Somerset
Admission to the Roman Villa experience is priced at $85 per adult for non-members of The Newt, while children aged 16 and under enter free. The recreated villa and museum offer a vivid, thoughtfully researched window into Romano-British life and archaeological practice.