| Summary : Roman Villa discovered circa 1765 and excavated by Sir Andrew Baynham, who uncovered baths, tiles and a tesselated pavement, the latter apparently depicting a soldier. The pavement was subsequently covered up. The site was re-excavated in 1810 by William Cunnington for Richard Colt Hoare, who published drawings of two pavements, both of simple geometric patterns. The site was excavated again in 1840 by JS Money, who found extensive foundations suggesting a corridor villa with at least seven rooms, and featuring tesselated floors, baths and hypocaust. Cremations in urns, plus coins ranging from Gallienus to Constantius were also found. Many of Money's finds are in Devizes Museum. H Cunnington re-excavated the site in 1880. He did not uncover the tesselated pavements. In 1911, Roman pottery and a blue glass bead (also now in Devizes Museum) were discovered when digging the foundations of council houses and were claimed to come from the villa, a claim subsequently disputed by M Cunnington, but highlighting the lack of information then available about the precise location of the villa. Despite the various episodes of excavation, published details as to the villa's precise location had always been rather vague. Other finds reported from the general area include a bronze figurine found circa 1912 and some more pottery found circa 1911. Potsherds and flue tiles were found during Ordnance Survey field investigation in 1968 and parch marks had previously been noted in the area. The mosaic uncovered by Cunnington and Colt Hoare was finally re-located in 1979 during orchard planting. |
More information : [ST 97246583]. ROMAN VILLA. [GS] (Site of) (1)
The Roman villa at Bromham appears to have been discovered
c.1765, and excavation by Sir Andrew Baynton revealed baths,
tiles, and a tesselated pavement (4). The pavement, supposedly
representing a soldier, was later covered again (2). In 1810
W.Cunnington re-excavated for Colt Hoare who illustrates two
pavements, both of simple geometric pattern 5).
In 1840 J.S.Money excavated the area and found extensive
foundations on both sides of the Devizes - Chippenham road. It
appeared to be a corridor type villa of at least 7 rooms with
tesselatd floors, baths, hypocausts, etc. Money found two grey
cinerary urns with cremations and coins from Gallienus to
Constantius (253-353) (6 & 7). Many of these finds are in Devizes
Museum (8). (2-10)
In 1880 the villa was re-excavated by H Cunnington who published
a plan of the excavation. The pavements were not uncovered (9 &
10).
Throughout the siting evidence is vague. It is said to be
'In West Park Field' (2), but this field was a mile long. Other
descriptions include '3/4 mile S. of Verlucio', 'W. of Bromham
House', '4 1/2 miles from Devizes', etc. Grinsell (7) has
misapplied the site to the area of Verlucio.
In 1911 a Roman cinerary urn, a blue glass bead, and a
cone-shaped piece of pottery, were found when digging the
foundations of council houses. The finds, now in Devizes Museum,
were stated to be from the villa site (11). This is disputed by
Mrs.Cunnington in her compilation of references to the villa
published in 1930 (12). She maintains that the site was on the
east side of the Chippenham-Devizes road between the 4th
milestone and B.M.325. This siting was deduced in 1918 by
B.H. Cunnington evidently on information from his father before
1887. The published O.S. siting has been taken from a private 6"
note based on B.H. Cunnington's description. (11-14)
There are no visible Roman remains in the area of the O.S.
siting. To the north, however, in the area ST 970662, red, white
and black tesserae, and walling have been seen in recent years. At
97056621 a bronze figurine was found in 1912. It was dug up
by Mr.R.G. Stratton who describes it as about 6ins. high.
It was sold c.1915 to Mr.White, a Chippenham solicitor.
Stratton also said that just before he occupied his house in
1911, a small black pot was found in the garden at ST 97026625.
It is probable that this was the cinerary urn mentioned by
auth.11. Crawford's 6" sites this at ST 96986649 (probably on
information from B.H.Cunnington). Stratton was also told as a boy
that there was 'a floor with a soldier' beneath the paddock
(centred at ST 97056615). Immediately to the E. walls were
encountered during ploughing about 50 years ago, and can still
be traced as parchmarks in very dry weather.
During field investigation Roman pottery and flue tiles were
found in the area centred ST96956615, at 'A', a ploughed field
to the west of the road. These are probably vestiges of the
building and occupation area found by J.S. Money.
From all the information available it seems most probable that
the villa site is in the area ST97056621; at 'B'. (15-16)
The mosaic uncovered by Hoare (Authority 5) was rediscovered at ST 970366623 adjacent to No 80 Devizes Road, during orchard planting. (17)
Coins found ranged in date from 253-353AD.
The full extent of the villa complex is not currently known, but it may extend over an area 300m by 150m. Evidence from the excavations indicates an important minor villa survives and the 1977 excavation has confirmed that despite some damage as a result of ploughing, important archaeological structures and features will survive. Designation of the known extent of the villa remains would not be helpful because it would imply protection only for the `most damaged¿ parts of the site and possibly push any development pressures into the more sensitive parts of the site. Designation cannot currently be considered as an appropriate tool for its future management. (19)
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