WELWYN		Quality of Remains
		Ease of Access
		Atmosphere & Setting

History & Occupation:

The villa at Dicket Mead, Welwyn was built in the 3rd century. The full details of the site are not known, but the complex must have been fairly oppulent as two bath houses have been identified at the site, one of which was sizeable and impressive.

Remains and Visit:

Discovered in the 1960s, the villa had little time to be fully explored before the plans to expand the A1(M) motorway through the site were approved. Much of the better parts of the villa remain buried beside the motorway and the road actually only buried permanently the location of two wooden buildings of which nothing remained. A bath house, however, that had been fully excavated was in direct path of the new motorway and in one of the best efforts to preserve a Roman site, a huge vault was constructed beneath the motorway, covering the baths. These baths have survived to a reasonable height and, while they will never become a major Roman tourist attraction, they are certainly well worth a visit if you happen to be passing on the A1, as it will only require a 5 minute diversion.

Images:

Furnace	The bath house	Cold bath