More information : (SP 40101710) Roman Villa (R) (Site of) (1)
A large house with elaborate pavements existed half a mile south-east of the village of Stonesfield and 110 yds north of Akeman Street. It was found 2 ft below the surface in 1712 in ploughing a field called Chesthill Acres or 'Chestrenhill'; foundation stones and an urn led to the discovery of the pavement. Further pavements were dug out, some only 6 ins below the surface, in 1779-80, also a hypocaust (see plan), but were destroyed. The house stood on high ground, apparently where there is now a platform littered with debris, and extended over an area measuring at least 190 ft from east to west and 152 ft from north to south, and would have seemed to have faced south towards Akeman Street. Finds included some glass (vessels and window), sherds, a little lead, Stones field slates and coins of Constantine II, Pius, Tetricus II, Constans, Maximian and Valentinian but coins from 'Vespasian to the lower empire' are said to have been found. The pavement and coins suggest a 4th century house. (2)
Fragments of tiles, slates, Samian and coarse ware, window-glass, tesserae and a coin of sabina were picked up by D B Harden and C Musgrave, in 1936, in the north corner of the field (known in 1865 as 'Roman villa piece'), next to Akeman Street and east of the Combe road (see plan ASP 40031706). 'This undoubtedly is the site of the house' - not that shown on OS 6". (3)
There is a scatter of RB red ware and tile and brick fragments in the western field (Taylor's siting); the field to the east is under pasture. The platform mentioned is not clearly visible but may apply to the level area, not noticeably artificial, at the edge of the natural SW slope. This position coincides almost exactly with that of Taylor. (4)
SP 399170: Roman villa at Stonesfield, scheduled. (5)
SP 399170: Fieldwalking at the site of Stonesfield Roman villa, c. 1984, showed that it probably extends outside the scheduled area. The landowner and farmer of the adjacent fields, Mr Roger Evins, has a fine collection of Roman and later artifacts, including: a late Roman buckle, other Roman metalwork and pottery, over fifty Roman coins mostly of mid 3rd - late 4th century date and a late Saxon cut penny of Aethelred II's reign. (6)
A limestone votive relief (SP 31 NE 62) was found within the field in which the villa is sited. It is probably associated with the villa. (7)
OX 54 Listed as the site of a Roman villa, one of the mosaics uncovered featured Bacchus with a panther. (8)
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