Ancient barn conversion with steam room found at Roman villa in Rutland

Fresh evidence of owners' lavish lifestyle discovered at same site as rare Iliad mosaic

If you thought barn conversions were a relatively recent development for the property-owning classes, you'd be wrong - probably by 16 or 17 centuries.

Archaeologists at the site of a Roman villa complex in the east Midlands have discovered that its wealthy owners converted an agricultural timber barn into a dwelling featuring a bathing suite with a hot steam room, a warm room and a cold plunge pool.