| Summary : Site of a Roman villa excavated from 1950 onwards. The history of the site falls into two main periods, commencing with an aisled barn and circular drying floor of c.AD 290-310 to c.350-65. A long rectangular building lay to the SW of the barn, probably of the same date. About 190' SE of the barn was a timber cart shed, later rebuilt in stone and incorporated in the south wing. No dwelling house of this period was discovered. The barn and drying floor were deliberately dismantled to make way for other buildings. In the second period (c.AD 350-65 to late 4th or early 5th century) a small house was erected on the site of the barn, utilizing its north wall. It consisted of a single large room with an unheated mosaic floor from which projected eastwards two narrow wings. This was very soon enlarged and in AD 370-80 extensively rebuilt and heated by a channelled hypocaust, and a self-contained bath house was built. The villa was finally destroyed by fire, almost certainly after AD 388. Part of the building continued in use for storage and a corn drying oven was constructed in the ruins. An iron smelting furnace was said to have been found in the field W of the villa. Slag was found during the excavations. Two stray coins of Burgred of Mercia (9th century) were found, possibly part of a hoard that had been robbed or ploughed away. A hoard of 327 minims was discovered during excavation of the villa site in 1950. The hoard is dated to the second half of the 4th century A.D. |
More information : (TF 00720967) Roman Villa (GS) (site of) (1)
A Roman villa excavated from 1950 onwards. The history of the site falls into two main periods, commencing with an aisled barn and circular drying floor of C. AD 290-310 to c.350-65. A long rectangular building lay to the SW of the barn, probably of the same date. About 190' SE of the barn was a timber cart shed, later rebuilt in stone and incorporated in the S wing. No dwelling house of this period was discovered. The barn and drying floor were deliberately dismantled to make way for other buildings. In the second period (c AD 350-65 to late 4th or early 5th cent) a small house was erected on the site of the barn, utilizing its north wall. It consisted of a single large room with an unheated mosaic floor from which projected eastwards two narrow wings. This was very soon enlarged and in AD 370-80 extensively rebuilt and heated by a channelled hypocaust, and a self-contained bath house was built. The villa was finally destroyed by fire, almost certainly after AD 388. Part of the building continued in use for storage and a corn drying oven was constructed in the ruins. An iron smelting furnace was said to have been found in the field W of the villa. Slag was found during the excavations. Two stray coins of Burgred of Mercia (9th century) were found. The writer suggests these were part of a hoard that had been robbed or ploughed away. (2)
Site was indicated by J L Barber, Director of Excavations, at TF 00640955, and confirmed by inspection of air cover, which shows the site open during excavations. (3)
A hoard of 327 minims was discovered during excavation of the villa site in 1950. The hoard is dated to the second half of the 4th century A.D. (4)
An examination of all available photography revealed no cropmark evidence of the villa referred to by the previous authorities. (5)
LE 38 Listed as the site of a Roman villa. (6) |