More information : (SU 57805580) Roman Building (Site of) (G.S.) (1)
(SU 57925588) Roman villa site in field known as Balchester between Pithall and Skyer's Wood. Tesserae found by steam plough in about 1920. Col. Bates of Mary Down. (Manydown). (2)
Not excavated and remains spread over an area by deep ploughing. Material now in Basingstoke Muesum includes red and white tesserae, Samian, plaster, pottery, stone tiles. (Sited to SU 5800 5596). (3)
Balchester - the site is c700 yards S. of Skeyer's Wood, near the top of a westerly chalk slope, close to the 500 feet contour. It is a villa site. Here were found stone roof tiles (some complete), abundant red brick and chalk tesserae, and painted wall-plaster. "A tessellated pavement was excavated and covered in" report by the late Rev. G. Sampson, Rector. On O.S. but not in the V.C.H. (4-5)
In the 'History of Manydown' an entry in the Court Rolls, in 1497, records a field called 'Balchesterlond' the rent of which was paid to the prior of Swithin. Balstone Farm, Ibworth was previously thought to preserve this name but the Rev. G. Sampson of Ramsdell has pointed out the site of an undoubted Roman villa, c.1 mile south of Skeyer's Farm, Ramsdell, which although no evidence of place or field name can be advanced in support of the suggestion, may be provisionally held to be Balchester. Some three years ago part of a plain tessellated floor was uncovered. At present the site - under plough - shows the usual scattered fragments of Purbeck tiling, one complete with iron nail. Red and white tesserae are to be found together with small fragments of coloured plaster. (6)
A denarius of Alexander Severus, date of issue A.D. 225, found at Balchester has recently been identified. (7)
'A' SU 58005594; 'B' SU 57985589.
The site of this villa falls just below the crest on the north-western slopes of an E-W ridge at a height of c.500 feet O.D. It is indicated by two separate scatters of building material on the surface of the freshly-ploughed field. At each is a heavy scatter of tile both flanged and combed, chalk and tile tesserae, fragments of mortar, plaster and many large flints. At 'A' a patch of black earth contained charcoal, a score of potsherds including 3rd/4th c. flanged rims and a piece of bronze strip. At 'B' were large numbers of tesserae, a few still joined. Though undoubtedly a villa there is no certain evidence that this is the site of the Md. place-name Balchester. The field has no significant name and both Col. Bates of Marydown (the owner, who has made a particular study of the deeds) and Mr. Willis agreed that the 1497 document is not sufficient to locate the name. (8)
'A' sited on 1:2500 by scatter of material. No trace at 'B'. Although published on the O.S. map of Roman Britain (1956) and the 6" (1961) as a Roman Bath House, there would appear to be little evidence for it. (9)
HA 105 Listed as the possible site of a Roman villa. (10)
Aerial photographs taken in August 1995 show extensive cropmarks revealing a large precinct with a number of internal buildings. (11) |