Roman Remains in Wiltshire

 Here's the BBC video showing the place and the vivid colours of the mosaic floor that has been found and an artist's 3D drawing impression (from Manifesto) of what the three storey villa might have looked like. The archeologists and investigators have identified Roman roof tiles.

The funny twist is that an oblong trough shaped like a window box and used by the farmer's family for geraniums was identified as a Roman child's coffin. (I wish experts would tell us how they know.) A prime example of 'hiding in plain sight'.

That's a joy for the armchair traveller. If you are on holiday in the UK you will find museums along Hadrian's Wall which separated England from Scotland. You can walk along the route East to Wes, or vice versa. I have been there and written about it at least twice.

The farmer, Luke Irwin, and the rams on his farm are shown, and the holes excavated at intervals, seen from above, but with a man inside showing how deep they have gone down. I estimate it will cost millions to dig up the entire area, gently so as not to disturb or break what is found, then more millions to build the visitor centre, with a cafe and toilet and souvenir shop, build a car park, make video reconstructions, walk in reconstructions, commission souvenirs. Yes, of course, that always takes place and it will eventually be done. Meanwhile, we have the first glimpse.

What can you see already of the Romans in the UK?

Romans in Wales
If you are visiting Wales a good Roman museum is at Caerleon. Drive across the bridge into Wales (have some coins read for the toll). You turn right over the rolling hills (you may need to turn left to turn right, depending which exit you take). A very pleasant drive takes you over the green hills past the pubs and through the woods and across the river into Caerleon.

The amphitheatre is open intermittently, depending on time of year and weather and any events using the site.

The museum has a shop and fascinating finds such as rings dropped in Roman latrines, and gravestones with heartfelt messages. If you learned Latin at Grammar school, as I did, it's fun to translate the Latin. At last a use for it - not just checking the origins of words.

Some of the best and biggest in the UK are:
verulanium, St Albans, Hertfordshire (combine with visit to the cathedral)
The Roman Baths, Bath (combine with Jane Austen house visit and see Nash Terraces, row of houses on hillside)
Caerleon, near Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales

INFO ON UK ROMAN SITES
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/video_and_audio/headlines/36066089
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadrian%27s_Wall
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_sites_in_Great_Britain

ROMAN SITES WORLDWIDE
Of course, if you want to see Roman ruins in Rome, you can visit the Colloseum and more. Like dinosaurs, the Romans capture the imaginations of children as well as adults, making a great family friendly cultural outing.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.