More information : [Name at SU 2976 4614] Site of Roman Villa with Pavement [G.S.] (Found A.D. 1824) (1)
A tessellated Roman pavement depicting Bacchus and about 18 feet square, was found at Thruxton about 2 ft. below the surface by a man digging stone. (2)
A Roman candelabrum cast in terra cotta was found at Thruxton "among the ruins of a temple supposed to have been dedicated to Bacchus". (3)
The Roman pavement at Thruxton was visited by Colt Hoare and was situated a short distance from the Andover to Amesbury turnpike road. The owner of the field, Mr. Noyes, had erected a wall of brick and flint around it and a covering of the area. (4)
The Roman building at Thruxton, reported by Colt Hoare to the Gentleman's Magazine, apparently consisted of one square apartment "for on digging all round it, no foundations of other adjacent buildings were found, nor any of the other concomitants". It was therefore probably a temple and not a villa. On the north side of the building were found several graves and five skeletons. Coins found were principally of the Constantines and the Lower Empire. (5)
A Roman building at Thruxton, 85 feet long and 50 ft. wide, with walls composed of flints embedded in mortar. These have fallen inwards and buried the chalk floor in one corner of which was a tesselated pavement, 16 feet square, depicting Bacchus. It was discovered in 1823. On the floor were found a human skeleton, several coins, etc. Two other skeletons were found nearby. On the chalk floor were two rows of pillars, 21 feet apart, each of five stones of polished freestone 13 ft. apart. One of the rows passed from the corner of the mosaic pavement. A number of roofing slates, also fragments of painted plaster, were found among the ruins. (6)
The Roman building at Thruxton was rediscovered c.1893 when the mosaic pavement was acquired for the British Museum. No trace was found of other rooms or walls though trenching was done for a long way round. The measurements of the pillars (as given by authority 6) are precisely the same as those at Clanville Hants. 15 SW - Ro. Villa. (7)
A Roman building at Thruxton on the north side of the road to Weyhill and about half a mile east of the village. The pavement, removed to the British Museum, bore the inscription -
QVINTVS NATALIVS NATALINVS ET BODENI
and the letters V and O being fragments of a second inscription. The centre panel showed Bacchus seated on a tiger and was surrounded by a broad circle of elaborate geometrical ornament, including eight conventional heads, and that in turn being surround by a square of somewhat similar though simpler ornament, the corners of the square being filled with heads. On two sides of the square was the inscription above. (8)
There is a marked disagreement over the extent of the remains of the "Villa". Colt Hoare (1823) and Engleheart (1893) both of whom were concerned with excavation at the site, state that apart from the pavement room, no other foundations could be found, in spite of search. Ingram, quoting an anonymous but contemporary account (not traced by the recorder) describes a basilican building and specifically mentions the Bacchus Pavement. Only further excavation is likely to provide a solution. (10)
The site falls within a field under permanent pasture, which shows no trace of stone digging. Apart from a wide scatter of flints and some stone along the edge of the field, nothing of interest was noted. Listed as an aisled hall (11) and as an aisled farmhouse (12). (11-12)
HA 95 Listed as a villa or temple. (13)
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