Woodchester Roman Villa

Woodchester Roman Villa was situated at Woodchester near Stroud in the English county of Gloucestershire [1]. It is one of many Roman villas discovered in Gloucestershire and was occupied between the early 2nd and late 4th centuries AD [1]. There is now nothing visible of the villa above ground and the site is occupied by a later churchyard [1]. The villa's most famous feature is the Orpheus mosaic, the second largest of its kind in Europe and one of the most intricate [1]. It dates to c. AD 325 and was re-discovered by Gloucestershire-born antiquarian Samuel Lysons in 1793 [1]. It has been uncovered seven times since 1880, the last time in 1973, but there are no plans to reveal it again [1]. It depicts Orpheus charming all forms of life with his lyre and has been praised for its accuracy and beauty [1].