More information : (SP 73304424) Roman Villa (GS) (site of) (1)
A 'Villa' found (by labourers digging for stone (c)) and partially
excavated in 1850 near 'the Gullet' in Holton Coppice 3 miles east
of Whittlebury village and a quarter of a mile west of Watling Street
(also 'to the south is a stream feeding an extensive fish-pond called
'Bradlem Pool' (a). The plans and records are not wholly satisfactory
(see plan, based on that in (b)); it appears that a square
entrenchment surrounded the whole building area. There were 3 mosaic
pavements, 2 in the separate north-westerly building, and one of
these was given to Queen Victoria and relaid in a dairy at Windsor.
Finds included a column base, painted wall plaster, tiles (roofing
tiles resembling those from Bisley villa (c), Samian and other
potsherds etc., (also coins from Tetricus to Maximianus (c)).
'Bradlem Pool' is published on OS 6" at SP733443 so the correct siting should be at c SP733445 (note that the OS 6" shows 'Stone quarries' there). The OS siting (1) is in error because of a misreading of the relationship between the site and 'Bradlem Pool' on an old record card). (2)
(SP 73274458). Roman pottery found on the surface and stonework
ploughed up. Detailed investigations pending. (3)
The villa was located at SP733445 by V Ashby in 1956 who traced walls
on either side of the road.
There is a large scatter of RB occupation debris at the site but
the main concentration is centred to SP73224457. (4,5)
Roman villa (SP 73224457) lies in the centre of the small E
projection of the parish, on Boulder Clay at 117 m above OD. The
site was discovered in a stone-pit and was excavated in 1850. Only a
short report was written and many details on the published plan were
not mentioned.
Two buildings were discovered. One, at the S end of the site,
contained at least 12 rooms including a bath suite, and there was a
mosaic pavement, apparently comprising a grid of squares outlined
in red with a square of white at each intersection. This building
lay to the W of a large courtyard. The second building lay to the N
and contained two mosaics: one in the main part of the buidling, had
a square central panel with a bust of a winged female wearing a
wreath and probably holding a spray of leaves; the other had a
pattern of red crosses. (6)
Listed in gazetteer of Roman villas. (7) |