More information : (SU 7342 0988) ROMAN VILLA (GS) (Site of) (1)
The remains of a Roman building, found some years before 1817, on the edge of Mayze Coppice, near Rowlands Castle. A principal apartment could be traced, 18ft x 14ft, with the pavement entire, and considerably ornamented, as pieces of stucco painted in fresco were found. Adjoining this were possible bath-houses, and "to the eastward was a third building of larger dimensions the site plentifully strewed with charcoal and fragments of pottery...". "The foundations are now torn up...." From these buildings extended a causeway with a fosse on each side, towards the south: "and several other earthworks, now levelled with the plough. Near the old farmhouse was a small barrow" which contained nothing except charcoal and a pottery sherd marked with "crescents". In other parts of Mayze Coppice occurs black earth, with marks of burning, and innumerable fragments of pottery. Ro coins found at Rowlands Castle consist of Diocletian, Flavius, Valens, Licinius, Callienus, Flavius, Valerius Constantinus, and Flavius Valentinianus, and in about 1850 a pot was dug up of Roman coins, principally of copper (2). A Romano-British pottery existed at Rowland's Castle, apparently on the London Clay (3). Similar information (4-5). (2-6)
"The only evidence that there might be anything below the surface is the fact that the crop of wheat is (1929) almost nil for a distance extending 150ft from the hedge on the north side...." Two labourers confirmed the sterility of the soil on either side of the hedge. I found one piece of brick, and a piece of possible Kimmeridge shale. (7)
Nothing was found at the OS siting but in the area SU 73471011 can be seen much building material comprising Ro brick and tile. A spring exists within 100m of the site. The field is now under crop and no traces are visible of the "causeway" or "barrow" mentioned in T2. In the adjoining field to the north is a modern `Brick and Tile Works'. (8)
"SU 738097 - Roman pottery kilns, visible on surface after ploughing, ash and charcoal, pot `wasters'." The kilns noted by Stanley may be part of the `line of Kilns' noted in early accounts of the May Coppice villa. Stanley believes that he has got New Forest wasters but they have not been seen by Mrs Woolner. The enormous brick-earth pits (which may have been worked since the Roman period) have encroached on the site which is apparently centred at SU 734102. There is plenty of tile and brick and a little pottery to be found. The area has been staked for the laying of land drains. (9-10)
(SU 73451028) `Indications of ancient villa'.
(SU 73301036) `Vase of Roman Coin found here'.
(SU 73461022) `Fragments of Roman tiles red'.
(Area centred SU 73451015) 'Ancient Pottery'. (11)
Following information supplied by R Bradley, Mrs Rule excavated two late 1st c pottery kilns in 1964 at SU 73541034 and SU 73551032 respectively, and found the site of a third at SU 73521032. No structures were found and nothing is visible at the sites now except very black earth in mole casts. Nothing survives of the main building or villa complex except a scatter of Ro brick and flanged tile at SU 73481010. Nothing is visible at the Kiln site noted by Stanley (9) but an area of black earth with a dense scatter of grey ware and wasters at SU 73700945 probably refers. (Sited at 1:2500) Bradley has note of much Ro material in the general area including sherd concentrations at SU 73700920 and SU 73440954 and flue tiles, at SU 73400970 but nothing was visible at time of visit. (12)
SU 73521035. "2nd-3rd century pottery kiln wasters tip sectioned by builders trench. (13)
SU 734102. Many Mesolithic flints found at this reference are in Portsmouth City Museum (Accession Nos. 8/69 and 14/69). (14)
HA 80 Bath house with stucco fesco. (15) |