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Historic England Research Records

Sutton Courtenay Roman Villa

Hob Uid: 234105
Location :
Oxfordshire
Vale of White Horse
Sutton Courtenay
Grid Ref : SU4942093890
Summary : The site of a Roman villa discovered in 1962 and excavated in 1966. Coins found date the site from the 1st to the 4th century AD. Extensive remains were found of a main building with a north-south range and possible wings to the east, all which face a central courtyard with timber outbuildings. Finds include the remains of tessellated floors, building materials, pottery and coins.
More information : In 1962 Mr. Fidler ploughed up stone foundations and large quantities of Roman bricks, tiles and pottery. He investigated further and uncovered two tesellated floors, on of c. 1 inch square brick and adjoining it a mosaic floor of smaller coloured tesserae. He covered these floors without disturbing them, and pointed this site out on the ground as being at SU 49429389. A considerable scatter of stone, brick and tile to the south of this spot indicates the existence of the room or buildings. Mr. Fidler has most of the finds from this site, including three coins and much pottery, but a small selection was retained by the Ashmolean Museum where they were identified as 2nd century. (1-4)

Extensive remains of a Roman villa. The main building appears to have consisted of a N-S range with possible wings to the east, all facing a central courtyard with timber outbuildings. (5)

Three building phases were discovered in the main dwelling, also a timber-framed building of presumably earlier date. Coins are of the first to early fifth cent. A.D. (6-7)

OX 56 Listed as the possible site of a Roman villa. (8)

The site was excavated in 1966. The information provided in sources 1 - 4 is repeated in this source. (9)

Email communication from Jill Greenway, Curator of Archaeology at Reading Museum Service has provided a date for the Roman coins found at Dropshort Roman Villa to be between the 1st and 4th century AD. This information comes from archive of the site that is held at the museum and contrasts with the early 5th century date of sources 6-7. (10)

Sources :
Source Number : 1
Source :
Source details : (Reading Mus. Notes)
Page(s) : 118
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Vol(s) : 60, 1962
Source Number : 2
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Source details : Mr. Fidler, Hulgrove Farm, Sutton Courtenay, Berks.
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Source Number : 3
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Source details : D. Sturdy, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.
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Source Number : 4
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Source details : F1 GHP 09-SEP-63
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Source Number : 5
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Source details : Excav. Annual Report 1966 (M.P.B.W.)
Page(s) : 22
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Source Number : 6
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Source details : Mr. G. Thomas, Reading Museum
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Source Number : 7
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Source details :
Page(s) : 198
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Vol(s) : 57, 1967
Source Number : 8
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Source details :
Page(s) : 162
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Vol(s) : no.1
Source Number : 9
Source :
Source details : Oxfordshire County Council Website. 2008. Oxfordshire Historic Environment Record, [Accessed 04-NOV-2008]
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Source Number : 10
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Source details : Jill Greenaway, Curator of Archaeology, Reading Museum Service Communication by email, 18-DEC-2008
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Monument Types:
Monument Period Name : Roman
Display Date : Roman
Monument End Date : 399
Monument Start Date : 43
Monument Type : Villa, Tessellated Floor, Mosaic
Evidence : Sub Surface Deposit

Components and Objects:
Related Records from other datasets:
External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Oxfordshire)
External Cross Reference Number : 1857
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SU 49 SE 2
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :
Associated Monuments :
Relationship type : General association

Related Activities :
Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1963-09-09
End Date : 1963-09-09
Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1966-01-01
End Date : 1966-12-31
Associated Activities :
Activity type : EVALUATION
Start Date : 2012-01-01
End Date : 2012-12-31