As several readers may know, my day job is looking after Chedworth Roman Villa in the Cotswolds. Chedworth sits comfortably within a region that supported some of the most prosperous rural estates in Britannia. Yet the world that sustained and shaped the villa extended far beyond the Coln valley.
BOOK REVIEWS
It is appropriate to begin with a declaration of interest: I contributed a chapter on Prynnsberg and supported the publication of this book. That proximity, however, also allows for a fuller appreciation of both its achievements and its limitations.
BLUE PLAQUES
Built in 1934, when blocks of flats were going up all over Yeoville and Bellevue, Beacon Royal was designed by the brothers Obel and Obel. An Art Deco gem, with speed lines running around the corner, it is a landmark building in a suburb where the style flourished in the 1930s. The place became a beacon of hope when rescued from hijackers in 2005.