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MONUMENT NO. 412907

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Site of a Roman villa located in a hop garden. Remains of a bath house, 2 hypocausts and a furnace with a stoke hole were discovered as well as a number of finds of pottery sherds, coins, tiles, fragments of window glass, animal remains and a bone pin. A Neolithic axe was also found in the vicinity. Excavated in 1872, 1972-3 and 1991.

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The remains of a Roman villa can be traced in the hop gardens of Arthur Fremling of Teston. The villa was situated on the crest of a gently sloping valley looking over the river. The foundations of the baths have been discovered and comprise a furnace with stoke-hole, two hypocaust rooms, a semi-circular bath and other rooms.Potsherds found include Upchurch and Caistor ware and a few Roman coins and a quantity of stags' horns and animal bones have been found. Finds exhibited included a bone pin and fragments of window-glass. (1)

Similar information. Part excavated in 1872. (2)

TQ 6979 5316: This villa more likely to be circa 100 yards to west of find spot of Neolithic axe [TQ 65 SE 20 - TQ 6989 5316]; wide scattering of Roman tiles and fragments of pottery found about this point June 1953. Silver denarius of Trajan found in this field [field to south centred TQ 698 530] In Maidstone Museum, 1954. (3-5)

At a meeting of the Association on May 22nd, 1872, the Reverend J M Mayhew, exhibited Roman tiles with impressions of animal feet found "on the banks of the Medway near Fairleigh. Excavations have already laid bare the remains of an extensive tile work." Further information would be given to the Association. On June 12th the Reverend Mayhew reported that there was "excavation in progress on the Medway near Telson [probably an error for Teston] and two chambers of a Roman dwelling had been cleared" A rough sketch-plan was exhibited. On Nov. 27th Mr J W Grover read a paper on "A Roman villa at Teston."[Authy 1 above] (6)

Add. ref. to Authy 4, p.273 ref. placing it under East Farleigh in schedule. [Authy not realising it to be the Teston villa suggests "another villa site or perhaps a kiln"] (7)

TQ 6978 5316: This Roman villa is situated on the crest of a gentle slope on the north bank of the River Medway at the height of 90 foot OD. Its site, which falls within an orchard, is indicated by a scatter of brick, tile and much stone. No evidence of a tilery was seen. Site surveyed on 25" A.M. (8)

No further evidence was gained on the exact find-spot of the denarius of Trajan. It is thought to have been found by a Mr Worsley of Teston some 30 years ago (b) but Worsley has been dead many years and his family have moved away: the present farmer has only been in occupation for 3 years. The Maidstone Museum Acc. No. is 123:54. (9)

Additional bibliography. (10)

KE 90 Listed as the site of a Roman villa. (11)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Journal of the British Archaeological Association

(J W Grover) 1873 29 Page(s)45-7, 71

( 2) edited by William Page 1932 The Victoria history of the county of Kent, volume three

The Victoria history of the counties of England 3 Page(s)125, 126

( 3) Annotated Record Map

Maidstone Museum Office 6" (A Warhurst - undated)

( 4) Annotated Record Map

Maidstone Museum Office 6" (L R A Grove - undated)

( 5) Field Investigators Comments

F1 CFW 07-MAY-1959

(5a) Journal of the British Archaeological Association

( 6) Journal of the British Archaeological Association

1872 28 Page(s)273, 282, 397

( 7) edited by William Page 1932 The Victoria history of the county of Kent, volume three

The Victoria history of the counties of England 3 Page(s)154

( 8) Field Investigators Comments

F2 AC 13-JUL-1959

( 9b) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

( 9) Field Investigators Comments

F3 CFW 12-FEB-1964

(10) Kent Archaeological Society Archaeologia Cantiana : being contributions to the history and archaeology of Kent

1974 89 Page(s)206

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

Leicester archaeology monographsNo.1 (1993) - 1 Page(s)108

(12) Kent Archaeological Society Archaeologia Cantiana : being contributions to the history and archaeology of Kent

1992 110 Page(s)372-4

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