More information : (SU 3143 4190) ROMAN VILLA (GS) (Site of) (1)
Two rooms of a 'villa', each about 16 ft square and with mosaic pavements, which were presented to the British Museum, were excavated in 1854 at Abbot's Ann by the Hon and Rev S Best. "The villa to which these rooms belonged, appeared to occupy, within walls, seven or more acres of ground". A single paved room had previously been discovered, about 1820 (2). "Traces of a large Roman villa" have been discovered in the Minster Field (3). "A considerable extent of the bases of Roman buildings" in Minster Field (4). Finds in Andover Museum included an iron candelabrum, some pottery, tiles, painted stucco, glass, bits of foreign marble, and about 30 coins covering the period 37-350 AD, the majority dating from 250-350 AD. "Obviously the 'villa' was a noteworthy one. Mr Engleheart tells me that, according to a local tradition, which he sees no reason to doubt, an untouched wing of this house, or another house hard by, contains a fine mosiac with a biga depicted on it" (5). (2-5)
The site of this building is indicated by a large spread of debris at the OS published site. The finds formerly in Andover Museum (now closed) are in store in the Andover Municipal Offices. (6)
HA 1 Listed as a Roman villa site. (7)
With regards to Authy.6, Andover Museum reopened in 1981 and most of the finds are on display there in the Roman Section. (8)
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