| Summary : Site of a Roman villa at Truckle Hill, excavated in 1859-60 following the discovery of exposed walling after ploughing. A stone coffin had been discovered previously in the field in circa 1800, and as a result the field was known as Coffin Field. The villa apparently comprised a rectangular building with some 16 rooms, with a bath suite at the west end. To the south of this suite was a hexagonal building enclosing a well-shaft which contained human remains, building debris and coins. Further buildings forming a courtyard were also found. To the west of this group of buildings was an inhumation cemetery featuring a number of masonry tombs. Finds included ornaments, coins, brooches and pottery. many finds are in Devizes Museum, while some of the masonry and coffins were remived to the grounds of Castle Combe Manor House. An onyx cameo found at the site in 1972 is in the Ashmolean Museum. The site is under the plough and finds continue to be made on the surface. Excavations undergoing in 2010. |
More information : [ST 8368 7609] Roman Villa [GS] (Site of). (1)
A Roman villa, at Truckle Hill, was excavated by G.P. Scrope,
1859/60, after the tenant had exposed walling in clearing the
ground for ploughing. The field had been known as Coffin-ground
since the finding of a stone coffin c.1800 which was later
destroyed. [field name confirmed from Tithe Map, North Wraxall,
1836]. The villa was an oblong building with about 16 rooms, some
forming a bath suite at the west end. South of this end, and ten
yards away, an hexagonal building had enclosed a well-shaft
which contained human remains, building debris and coins. The
building stood within a walled enclosure with a gateway in the
southern wall and further buildings were found outside this
gateway forming a courtyard. Sixty yards to the west of this
group of buildings were a number of masonry tombs containing
inhumation burials in stone or wooden coffins. One tomb had
contained the stone coffin found c.1800. The remains of an
inurned cremation burial were also found.
Finds included a crescentic ornament of c.350 A.D., now on the
British Museum, bronze objects and coins of Trajan, Allectus
Maxentius, Tacitus, Constantinian period and Gratian. A further
coin of Trajan was found on the site in 1912. An Italian bronze
brooch found 1860 is classified by Grinsell as LBA. This and
most of the finds, are in Devizes Museum.
Masonry from the villa is built into the nearby Truckle Hill
Barn and worked stones and a stone coffin from the excavations
of 1859-60 were in the grounds of Castle Combe Manor House,
1954-5. (2-5)
The area of this site has been scarified. There are no remains
of the villa to be seen though the O.S, siting is confirmed by
a scatter of pottery and building debris. (6)
It seems probable that the villa at North Wraxall (ST 83687609)
began as a simple winged corridor-house and is typical of the
class of comfortable 'yeoman' farms provided with partial central
heating, well fitted bathing facilities, together with painted
walls and a polychrome mosaic. It remained as a single-range
building comparable in size and elaboration to Downton (SU 12 SE
18) together with which it provides the type example of the
average villa establishment. (7)
An inscribed onyx cameo, found at the villa in 1972, has been
presented to the Ashmolean Museum. (8-9)
Truckle Hill Ro villa site is now under plough; surface debris
is very evident and confirms the OS siting. Ro coins are
continually found over the area; several coins (not seen) are in
the possession of the land-owner (a).
At approx ST 83517596 and ST 83577600 are concentrations of
limestone brash intermixed with fragments of burnt daub. At
ST 83717625 is a large crescent-shaped grass covered mound 40.0m
by 20.0m containing large stones, black soil, Ro tile fragments
and pottery sherds. It spills down the steep side of a combe and
probably represents Scrope's (2) excavation dump.
Truckel Hill Barn at ST 83427591 contains several Roman column
bases partly recut to form quoins (see Ground Photo).
The stone coffin formerly at Castle Combe Manor House (now a Hotel)
'disappeared' during the construction of the Hotel car-park in
1970 (b). (10)
Additional source. (11)
The mound at ST 837 762 mentioned by Authority 10 has subsequently been uncovered and found to be the remains of a substantial RB building. Rapid building recording was undertaken by Wessex Archaeol and geophysical and earthwork survey by EH in 2005. (12)
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