Monument record MDO1221 - Halstock Roman Villa

Halstock Roman Villa 725 yards South East of Neville Farm

Mosaic discovered 1818. Excavations commenced in 1967 have revealed a barn and bath buildings belonging to what must have been a very large villa probably extending to the south. There were several phases of building, but the main period seems to have been the 4th century as the patterns of the mosaics so far found are typical of that period (specialist reports by Ann Rainey, 5 and 6). Coins discovered on the site date from circa AD 260 to AD 375. A Neolithic stone axe-head was recovered from the hedge-bank on the side of Common Lane. (For further details, see plan supplied by Lucas, with annotations). (5-7, 9-12, 30) The excavated foundations of the barn and passage are exposed at ST 53400762; otherwise the excavations have been covered in. (8) It is clear that the major part of the villa lies on the south side of the modern lane (ST 53370760) and that the location of the site as indicated on the Ordnance Survey maps only relates to the barn and bath suite. (15) Annual excavations continue S of Common Lane and foundations of a SW wing are exposed at ST 53370758. (19) (Centred ST 53380754) Excavations on the Roman Villa at Halstock were completed in 1985 after 18 seasons work (see illust). The compilation of the final excavation report has commenced. (18, 28) Roman occupation seems to have been from the 2nd to 4th century with the villa comprising a rectangle of buildings and other features surrounding two courtyards. This overlay probable Iron Age hut circles and a complex of ditches from which a considerable quantity of Late Iron Age and Romano-British pottery was recovered. ST 533077 Roman villa 560m SE of Neville Farm. Scheduled. "Scheduled area arbitrary". (3, 20) The site of this villa complex, the subject of intensive excavation 1967-85, is visible on the ground as slight scarping at the east end of the north range. Fitting to excavation plan to the OS 1:2500 puts the centre of the villa proper at ST 53400757. Surveyed at 1:2500. (29) DO 16 Listed as the site of a villa. (31)

Record last edited

Aug 25 2022 3:16PM