The Newt in Somerset
I’ll admit I had never stayed at a mansion that boasts a fourth century Roman villa onsite. In fact, most of us probably haven’t. But unlike any other property in the U.K., The Newt, a Georgian house turned hotel, has the preserved ruins of an ancient Roman villa dating back to 351 A.D. on the property.
Nestled in the hills between Brutton and Castle Cary, and a short stop away from Stonehenge and Bath, The Newt in Somerset gives you just about everything an American could want in their British country getaway: technicolor landscapes with grazing sheep that are completely real (no artificial coloring goes into this grass), farm-to-table restaurants, historical lodging with modern amenities, a spa, pool, Beezantium, apple trees, and gardens.
When Ric Weeks, on-site archaeologist at the Roman villa, walked us through the ruins it was hard not to be in awe of the physical remains of Romano-British history and rare archaeological findings that lay onsite. Recent archeological excavations have revealed the details of the early Roman baths. However, the most gripping element of the site is the recreation of the villa that the hotel constructed across from the ruins.