BOSSES at a tourist attraction near Clanfield have crossed the Rubicon with their ambitious bid to bring a Roman villa back to its former glory.
Heavy wooden beams inside the villa have been sandblasted as work finally begun this week on the renovation of the popular Butser Ancient Farm (BAF) attraction.
The beautiful grain of the timbers will be revealed once John Grant and his assistant, Toby Hoff, from Airstrip, have removed the flaking paint and dirt.
The beams will also be sanded with the first stage of the renovation being funded by the £2,000 that BAF raised through its 2016 crowdfunding campaign.
More work is planned along with temporary closures as BAF is in the process of raising further funds to cover the cost of the building’s renovation.
The building was constructed in 2003 but heavy footfall is starting to take its toll on the villa, as it welcomes 30,000 schoolchildren and 20,000 visitors every year.
The building is also used for special interest lectures, cookery workshops, archaeological research and is also the headquarters of Butser’s own Roman re-enactment group.
“We want to bring it back to its former glory as the home of a wealthy Roman Briton and his family,” said a BAF spokesman, who revealed that the farm will hold a special Roman Summer event.
The celebration of “all things Roman” in August will include Toga Tuesdays and a special Games Day with real fighting gladiators.