Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Monument Number 234025
Hob Uid: 234025
Location : Oxfordshire Vale of White Horse Frilford
Grid Ref : SU4228097260
Summary : Site of a Roman villa excavated in 1884; 12 rooms with a portico and a hypocaust were uncovered, possibly only one wing of the villa. Cropmarks of an Iron Age settlement and a probable Roman field system with possible grubenhauser cutting into it.
More information : [SU 4228 9726] Roman Villa [GS] (Site of) (1) A small Roman villa of 12 rooms and a portico, in a field bordering on the road from Frilford to Kingston Bagpuize, was excavated in 1884 by Arthur Evans. [? outline visible on A.P. (3).] Eighty-eight feet from the north-east corner of the villa, two more rooms were found, one used either as a bath or a cistern. Evans regards these as belonging to a separate house. Earliest coin from the site is one of Trajan [98-117 AD] and the latest of Valens [364 - 378 AD.] [Cropmarks to the N. possibly connected with this site - see SU 49 NW 16] (2-3) A number of pits dug for electric pylons in the vicinity of the Roman villa site, Frilford (SU 423975) revealed no sign of buildings or occupation. [The grid reference supplied places the site some distance farther north of the published entry, much nearer to the crop marks referred to in authy. 2.] (4) Nothing significant is visible on the ground at the published site and recent ploughing has failed to reveal any Ro material. The nearest pylon is 500.0 m away. (See SU 49 NW 16 for some cropmarks possibly associated with the villa). (5) General description with plan. In the hypocaust chamber were traces of tessellated pavement, broken by ploughing, with cubes of white stone and terra-cotta, and also mural painting in a variety of colours. The hypocaust pilae were of roughly split oolite slabs. The second building contained a furnace and a probable bathing chamber. Much Samian pottery, some New Forest ware and a few fragments of ware similar to Castor but probably from a kiln near Oxford, also other pottery, glass and coins. (6) One wing only, with hypocaust and mosaic pavement. House is 73x40ft. overall. (7) Continuity of occupation from IA to RO periods. Field system of probable RO date on aerial photos. Some features cutting into the villa field system could be sunken huts. (8) Near the Filford Villa (SU 4297) surrounding paddocks and a large Iron Age settlement have been observed (See SU 49 NE 16). (9) A plan of the building is given, together with a general plan of the area showing the associated cropmarks. (10) OX 24 Listed as the site of a Roman villa. (11)

Sources :

Source Number : 1
Source :
Source details : OS 6" 1960
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Source Number : 2
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Source details : 1897 (A.J. Evans)
Page(s) : 340
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Vol(s) : 54

Source Number : 11
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Page(s) : 158
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Vol(s) : no.1

Source Number : 3
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Source details : Air photos 106G/UK/1721/4016-7
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Source Number : 4
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Source details : 1949 (Atkinson and Kirk)
Page(s) : 76
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Vol(s) : 14

Source Number : 5
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Source details : F1 JP 07-JUN-63
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Source Number : 6
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Source details :
Page(s) : 207-8
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Source Number : 7
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Source details :
Page(s) : 54,55,270
Figs. : 2.1
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Source Number : 8
Source :
Source details : 1979
Page(s) : 126-8
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Source Number : 9
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Source details : 1980 (Grew F.O.)
Page(s) : 396
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Vol(s) : 11

Source Number : 10
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Source details :
Page(s) : 60, 72
Figs. : 3, 6
Plates :
Vol(s) : 103 (i)

Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Roman
Display Date :
Monument End Date : 378
Monument Start Date : 98
Monument Type : Villa, Hypocaust, Tessellated Floor, Field System
Evidence : Sub Surface Deposit, Cropmark

Monument Period Name : Early Medieval
Display Date : Early Medieval
Monument End Date : 1066
Monument Start Date : 410
Monument Type : Grubenhaus
Evidence : Cropmark

Components and Objects:

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Oxfordshire)
External Cross Reference Number : 7115
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SU 49 NW 3
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :

Associated Monuments :
Relationship type : General association

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1884-01-01
End Date : 1884-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1963-06-07
End Date : 1963-06-07

Historic England Research Records

Monument Number 234025