We’ve been invited to serve paella for Saxon Warriors and Roman Soldiers alongside visitors at this unique, family friendly event with enchanting combat displays and history-based activities to entertain throughout the day.

From the Iron Age to the Saxons, our local history will be brought to life by the authentic “Herigeas Hundas”, and there’s more to discover about Roman life and combat history with “The Butser Roman Legion”. They will be joined by “Experience the Iron Age” for an exciting and immersive exploration of our ancient past.  There will also be the chance to take a tour of the remains of the roman villa all set in the beautiful village of Rockbourne in Fordingbridge.

So… who’s wondering why festival-goers at an ancient roman villa would entertain paella for lunch – apart from it being delicious?

Paella is a popular Spanish rice dish with roots in both Roman and Arabic cultures. The Romans introduced the large, shallow pan (patella) and they established irrigation systems in Spain, which later allowed for the cultivation of rice by the Arabs in Spain, who then planted crops of saffron, a key paella ingredient. The dish evolved from a simple, one-pot meal for farmers using local ingredients to the diverse and celebrated paella we know today.

Secure your portions of our Chicken and Chorizo, our Seafood or our Vegetable Paella Refrita from our exclusive menu online by selecting from the items below for pre-order. Please ensure you select the correct date of your visit in the drop-down menu options on each item and at the online checkout.

You can make payment when you pre-order online, or choose to pay on the day before collecting your food. Either way, when you visit our food stand on the day please give your name and ideally a copy of your receipt to enable us to get your order cooked and served as efficiently as possible.

You can place an online pre-order right up until Midday on the Friday, after which the items will appear to be out-of-stock on our website. However there will be more portions available to purchase directly on the day. Our food stand at VillaFest! will be open from 11am to 3pm each day, serving portions of chicken and chorizo, seafood and vegetable paella, and burnt basque cheesecake slices, while stocks last.

Tickets for entry to this event can be purchased on The Hampshire Cultural Trust website. There is free parking. Dogs are welcome. The venue is fully accessible. Tickets are for one day. Gates open at 10am.