Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Halstock Roman Villa
Hob Uid: 195721
Location : Dorset Halstock
Grid Ref : ST5338507575
Summary : The site of a Roman villa situated to the southeast of Neville Farm. Excavations between 1967-85 recorded a Roman villa 2nd-4th century AD in date, comprising a rectangular complex of buildings and associated structure arranged around two courtyards. It overlay a Late Iron Age settlement consisting of hut circles and a ditch complex. A field survey in 1987 recorded that the villa complex was visible as slight scarping at the east end of the northern range.
More information : (ST 53370762) Roman Building (R) (site of) (1) 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). (2-7) 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. (9) Annual excavations continue S of Common Lane and foundations of a SW wing are exposed at ST 53370758. (10) (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. (11-12) 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". (13-14) 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. (15) DO 16 Listed as the site of a villa. (16)

Sources :

Source Number : 1
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Source details : OS 6" 1962
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Source Number : 2
Source :
Source details : E.H Large
Page(s) : 125-26
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Vol(s) : 89 (1967)

Source Number : 11
Source :
Source details : E. Flatters and R.N Lucas
Page(s) : 122-24
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Vol(s) : 99 (1977)

Source Number : 12
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Source details : R.N Lucas
Page(s) : 163-64
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Vol(s) : 107 (1985)

Source Number : 13
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Source details : DOE (IAM) AMs England 2 1978 p79
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Source Number : 14
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Source details : DOE (IAM) Record Form May 1959
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Source Number : 15
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Source details : F3 MCC O1-FEB-1987
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Source Number : 16
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Source details :
Page(s) : 52-3
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Vol(s) : no.1

Source Number : 3
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Source details : E. H Large
Page(s) : 180-181
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Vol(s) : 91 (1969)

Source Number : 4
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Source details : E H Large and R.N Lucas
Page(s) : 134
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Vol(s) : 92 (1970)

Source Number : 5
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Source details : R. Lucas
Page(s) : 143-151
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Vol(s) : 93 (1971)

Source Number : 6
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Source details : R. Lucas
Page(s) : 77-80
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Vol(s) : 94 (1972)

Source Number : 7
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Source details : Halstock Roman Villa, Manuscript Notes and plan 6-Jan-1974 (R Lucas)
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Source Number : 8
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Source details : F1 NVQ 04-NOV-1971
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Source Number : 9
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Source details : Letter (RN Lucas 16-Oct-1974)
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Source Number : 10
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Source details : F2 CPC 24-MAR-1977
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Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Neolithic
Display Date : Neolithic
Monument End Date : -2200
Monument Start Date : -4000
Monument Type : Findspot
Evidence : Find

Monument Period Name : Iron Age
Display Date : Iron Age
Monument End Date : 43
Monument Start Date : -800
Monument Type : Settlement
Evidence : Sub Surface Deposit

Monument Period Name : Roman
Display Date : C2-C4
Monument End Date : 400
Monument Start Date : 101
Monument Type : Villa, Mosaic, Bath House, Barn
Evidence : Sub Surface Deposit, Earthwork

Components and Objects:

Period : Neolithic
Component Monument Type : Findspot
Object Type : AXEHEAD
Object Material : Stone

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (County No.)
External Cross Reference Number : DO 425
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Dorset)
External Cross Reference Number : 1
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : Unified Designation System UID
External Cross Reference Number : 1002834
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : ST 50 NW 1
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1901-01-01
End Date : 1901-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1967-01-01
End Date : 1985-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1971-11-04
End Date : 1971-11-04

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1977-03-24
End Date : 1977-03-24

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1983-01-01
End Date : 1994-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1987-02-01
End Date : 1987-02-01