| Summary : Cropmarks of a Roman corridor villa, it has a corridor well over 100 feet in length with many rooms grouped around it. There seems to be a second range at right-angles, and in addition, a little distance away, two detached rectangular structures, possibly barns, each measuring roughly 100 feet by 30 feet. The remains are well placed in relation to the fertile soil of the Ivel valley, and may surely be identified as a large Roman villa and its outbuildings. Part of the complex is overlain with medieval evidence. A broad curving ditch on site is assumed to represent an Iron Age field boundary and thus indicates the possibility of pre-Roman occupation. Scheduled. |
More information : (TL 23443535) Cropmarks at Radwell reveal a group of buildings. The largest, lying just east of the stream, has a corridor well over 100 feet in length with many rooms grouped around it. There seems to be a second range at right-angles, and in addition, a little distance away, two detached rectangular structures each measuring roughly 100 feet by 30 feet. The remains are well placed in relation to the fertile soil of the Ivel valley, and may surely be identified as a large Roman villa and its outbuildings. (1-4)
Surface finds, including Samian and grey wares, are in Stevenage museum. (5)
Cropmarks of a Roman villa, buildings and enclosures are visible.
Morph Nos. HT.297.4.1-20. (6)
HT 45 Listed as the site of a Roman villa. (7)
A roughly square system of ditches encloses the villa complex on three sides, the south western boundary being the River Ivel. The main villa building lies approximately 400 metres south of the present farmhouse. It is visible as a rectangular cropmark 40 etres in length and 20 metres wide, orientated north east to south west and situated in the western corner of a ditched yard. The walls are defined by light parched areas in crop, indicating the survival of stone foundations. The core of the building is an oblong hall subdivied into one lare square room and four smaller chambers. Two small annexes extend from the north western corridor.
A second villa building lies at right angles to the house, some 50 metres to the south east. It comprises a suite of 6 rooms in an L-shape. This suite is presumed to be the bathhouse. Cropmark evidence for a third structrue has beend noted about 10 metres south east of the bath suite. It has been suggested that this may have had a purpose associated with tanning or dyeing.
Finds from the villa complex include pottery, tessera, roof and flue tiles, and coins of a 3rd to 4th century date.Part of the complex is overlain by later medieval evidence. A broad curving bank and ditch runs from a field boundary ESE of Bury Farm and may represent an Iron Age boundary suggesting pre-Roman occupation. The entire complex is scheduled. (8)
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