An exclusive look at an important ‘chunk’ of Keynsham’s heritage – finding a permanent home at
last after being installed – with pride of place – in the town’s new 34 million pound Civic Centre.
These panels of Roman mosaic came from the floor of a high-status villa – regarded by experts ‘as a minor Roman palace’- discovered on Durley Hill when the town cemetery was extended in the 1920’s.
They are certainly beautiful and have basically been in storage since being first lifted.
Having been moved to the Pixash Lane archaeological store the panels – which had been originally lifted from the ground and mounted on concrete with stone borders – were reshaped.
They have now been carefully transported to the new development where one by one they were carried through to be re-laid on the floor – like a giant jigsaw puzzle – coming together as a whole for the first time in nearly two thousand years.
The mosaics will be displayed in a specially constructed pit created in the floor and with a transparent covering.
Other artefacts from Keynsham’s past will also be displayed in an area that forms part of the new town library complex – opening on October 20th.
My thanks to Stephen Clews – Manager of the Roman Baths – for taking these images of the transporting and installation of the mosaic panels.
