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MONUMENT NO. 364820

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Site of a Roman villa dating from c.AD 60-70 to the late 4th century AD overlying alleged traces of Iron Age occupation. The first phase of the villa ended in the mid-2nd century AD when it was rebuilt with a corridor and wings. This was burnt down in the early 4th century AD, it was rebuilt in the late 4th century on a new plan and it may have had a separate bath house.

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Roman villa site at Lockleys. (Site from plan TL 23771620). Site found in 1930, excavated 1937 by JB Ward Perkins.
Five Periods:-
a. A small Belgic circular hut about 12feet diameter, probably a sort of lean-to tent strengthened by turf. Dated by pottery to first quarter of first century AD.
b. Second Belgic occupation, separated from first by a layer of clean gravel. Much charcoal, pottery and a few metal objects, but the only traces of building were daub. a few Roman bricks and a gully. Coin of Cunobelin, Iron Age brooches and an uninscribed Aucissa brooch. Claudian, Samian and Belgic pottery in the local tradition.
c. About AD 60-70 the house was rebuilt in the Roman style, four rooms and a timber verandah, with a V-shaped enclosure ditch, not fully explored.
d. Shortly after the middle of the second century the house was rebuilt and enlarged. A stone built corridor replaces the verandah and projecting wings added at each end. As the ground fell away at the N end, this wing was built in two storeys. Tessellated floors, wall plaster etc.
e. Early in the 4th century, building (d) was destroyed by fire. Later a new building was erected over the southern end, paying no attention to the earlier plan. Largely destroyed by ploughing, but probably existed from middle to last quarter of 4th century. Box flue tiles suggest a bath building undiscovered, associated with outbuildings (c) and (d). Plans, sections and illust. (1)

TL 23771620 Roman Villa (R) (Site of) (2)

Bronze coin of Cunobelinus as above (Mack 249 Evans XII 7) (3)

A re-appraisal (4) of the site refuting the successive continuity of occupation from Belgic to Roman. (See Illustration Card for plan and re-interpretation). In a review (5) of the book Frere suggests this re-appraisal should not be taken to seriously. (4-5)

There are no visible remains of the villa, the site of which is indicated by a piece of level ground set against a gentle SW slope. The field in which the site falls is under pasture and is part of a pig farm. The owner could not be contacted at time of visit.
Published 1:2500 revised. (6)

Rodwell rejected Ward Perkin's (Authy 1) 'Belgic hut' theory, for the small circular depression beneath Lockley's Roman villa, suggesting that it was probably no more than an animal pen. The suggestion of a 'second Belgic house' on the site was regarded by Rodwell who said that the chalk rubble floor on the south west side of the villa was probably part of a rectangular timber-framed building of late Iron Age or early Roman period. The row of nine flint post-pads set into the chalk floor below the villa and interpreted by Ward Perkins as supports for veranda posts associated with the first phase of the villa, was completely discounted by Rodwell, the post holes seemed out of harmony with the villa wall and may therefore have been the bases of aisle posts for a ?ten-bay building, circa 18 metres long, ante-dating the villa complex. (7)

Site as described. The field is improved pasture. The site of the excavation is marked by a scarp 0.4m high and parallel with the drive that leads to Derings. (8)

HT 68 Listed as the site of a Roman villa. (9)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) The Antiquaries journal : journal of the Society of Antiquaries of London

(JB Ward Perkins) 18, 1928 Page(s)339-376

( 2) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

6" 1960

( 3) General reference

Frere S 1958 Problems of the Iron Age in South Britain (DF Allen) Page(s)232

( 4) edited by A L F Rivet 1969 The Roman villa in Britain

Page(s)243-6

( 5) Antiquity Publications Limited Antiquity

(Prof SS Frere) 44, 1970 Page(s)149-150

( 6) Field Investigators Comments

F1 ASP 11-MAY-70

( 7) edited by Barry Cunliffe and Trevor Rowley ; prepared for publication by Sylvia Pryor 1978 Lowland Iron Age communities in Europe : papers presented to a conference of the Department for External Studies held at Oxford, October 1977

BAR international series 48 Page(s)26, 29, 33-4

( 8) Field Investigators Comments

F2 WRWN 30-MAY-90

( 9) by Eleanor Scott 1993 A gazetteer of Roman villas in Britain

Leicester archaeology monographsNo.1 (1993) - no.1 Page(s)96

( 9a) Antiquity Publications Limited Antiquity

14, 1940 Page(s)317-20

(10) Scheduled Monument Notification

14-FEB-1997

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