Chedworth Roman Villa

Chedworth Roman Villa is the excavated remains of one of the largest Roman villas found in Britain, uncovered by a gamekeeper in 1864 and now cared for by the National Trust. Families can walk around mosaic floors, hypocaust heating systems and bath-house rooms, and a modern conservation building shelters the most important pavements. A museum in the Victorian lodge shows objects dug up on the site, from tools and household goods to bracelets and hair pins. Children can take part in seasonal family activities such as dress-up, Roman table games and trails, and the grounds are good for a picnic with views over the valley. The site is partly indoors and partly outdoors, so it works in wet weather as well as dry, and the café and shop make it an easy half-day out in the Cotswolds.