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BBC News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Roman army descends on Birdlip for festival
A recreated Roman army has marched on a quiet Cotswolds village - as part of a new festival celebrating the history of the area. Sunday morning saw the first ever Birdlip Roman Festival transform the village, with historical costumes and displays put on show by enthusiasts. Gloucestershire's Roman heritage was also on display, with archaeological activities put on by a number of organisations including the Museum of Gloucester and Coronium Museum. Festivalgoer Martin Smith told the BBC he was "super excited" about the event, adding: "I like [learning about] their day-to-day life and learning how they would have lived in this landscape during the period." Fellow attendee Kate Peake, who visited with her daughter and her mother Angela - who made her costume - said it was "brilliant" to have a Roman festival in the area. "We live just down the road, we love history and we thought we'd dress up to come and visit today," she added. Re-enactment group the Ermine Street Guard took a starring role in Sunday's festival, marching through the village in authentically recreated military wear. The area boasts a rich Roman history, with the ancient civilisation making Gloucester a key site for its empire, and many important archaeological finds have been uncovered throughout the years. Hundreds of people attended the festival, with a number of stalls selling local products, antiques and food also forming part of the event. As well as local museums putting on displays, Cotswold Archaeology and Chedworth Roman Villa were also on site with family-friendly activities.
BBC News
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Gloucestershire in Pictures: Stroud swims and Gloucester museum
After the driest spring on record, the rain finally returned to the grey skies didn't stop school pupils in Stroud taking the fundraising, including a skydive, helped to raise the £60,000 needed to restore the pool at Leonard Stanley C of E Primary School, which was first built in the the school children celebrated the pool's reopening by making a big splash!There was also an historic new opening in Gloucester, and plenty of art on display in Cheltenham. Historic: St Mary Magdalene Church in the Forest of Dean village of Hewelsfield is a Grade II-listed building dating back hundreds of years. Discovery: Museum of Gloucester opened a new archaeology hub that "brings Gloucester's hidden history to life". The Discovery Centre, based in Eastgate Shopping Centre, will showcase artefacts from the museum's collection, many of which have never been seen by the public before. Milestone: The Cheltenham Playhouse has announced it's reached an initial fundraising target of £50,000, offering hope for the future of the community arts venue. Bosses warned last month that there was "a high risk" the theatre would close because its finances are in a "critical state". Fluffy newborns: Four penguin chicks have hatched at Birdland Park & Gardens in Bourton-on-the-Water. Birdland said this breeding season has been "especially significant" as the pairs - Pablo and Sunny, Broady and Kat, and Big Mac and Cookie - are all first time parents! Artful: Cheltenham Open Studios has been taking place this week with 78 different exhibition venues displaying the work of local artists. Visitors have been able to meet the artists, learn about their practice and even have a go themselves. Community purchase: A community group in Stroud had a £200,000 bid accepted to buy a meadow and woodland in the town. Rodborough Fields Preservation Group said it would set aside the land bordering the River Frome for recreational use. Fancy owning a tram: Offers are being invited to give Cheltenham last surviving tram a new lease of 21 has been in storage for more than 30 years and Cheltenham Borough Council has offered it to anyone who is interested in doing something with it for the benefit of the community. New heights: Gloucester Cathedral has reopened its iconic Tower, now complete with a brand new roof deck. People can once again climb 269 steps up the tower to enjoy panoramic views of Gloucester, the Severn Valley and the Malvern Hills. Sign of the times: Shops in Gloucester could soon be asked to improve their signage to reflect the city's history and City Council wants to make the city more attractive to residents, shoppers and tourists.
