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Historic England Research Records

Fawler Roman Villa

Hob Uid: 334566
Location :
Oxfordshire
West Oxfordshire
Fawler
Grid Ref : SP3717016890
Summary : Site of a Roman villa bisected by the railway. Excavated features include a bath house and tessellated floors. Post medieval earthworks are also visible on site. Finds include pottery and coins. Scheduled.
More information : (Centred at SP 37211689) Roman Villa (R) (Site of) (NAT) (1)

(SP 37221690) "Site of hole dug 'some years ago' (a) said to be the site of villa, but is also site of causeway of stone (leading to bridge). Ford begins north of causeway. Old diggings all round." (2)

Name Fawler derived from 'Fagalora': - 'coloured or spotted floor". In Fawler, Oxon, a Roman villa with tessellated pavement has been found near the village. (3)

"Roman remains" found at Fawler. "Mr William Taylor, of Charlbury, possesses a fragment of a cup of Samian ware, with the Potter's mark TAVRICI, and several coins of the later Roman emperors, dug up at Fawler". (4)

"Traces of a house can be seen in the meadow Bury Close". About 1865 a tessellated pavement with hypocaust beneath it was opened but covered in again. Another pavement belonging to the same house was destroyed in making railway line. A wall "nearer the cottage" opened in 1926 by Oxford branch of Classical Assocn. Much pottery and a number of small silver coins have been found here. "The evidence suggests a large house". (5)

There are slight indications of former occupation at the site shown on OS 6", but just to the west at SP 37171689 an area of substantial disturbance can be seen with much stone protruding through the surface of the pasture field. Almost certainly remains of the villa, although no isolated Roman finds were made. The land owner, Mrs Franks, knew nothing of the site. A small boy fishing by the river said that Roman pottery was found when they built the new pumping station at SP 372169. (6)

SP 370170: Remains of Roman villa, scheduled. (7)

Two thin scatters of Roman pottery were found near the site of Fawler Roman villa during a field survey, 1981-2. Most of the pottery appears to be of 1st-2nd century date. (8)

Excavations carried out during 1986-7 located early Roman occupation, features included a dog burial with an associated flagon. A building 1st or early 2nd century in date, was also located. It had a mosaic and painted walls. Finds including a pillar-moulded bowl, faience and a silvered brooch indicate the site was of a high stature. A later building, dated to the second century, was identified as a bath house. It had a hypocaust, tessellated floors and tufa ceilings. It was first identified by Warde Fowler in 1912. (9)

OX 22 Listed as the site of a Roman villa. (10)

The remains of a Roman villa complex, now bisected by the railway.The complex is thought to include a bath house with extensive water management system. A number of slight earthworks towards the centre of the south west quadrant to the north of the railway probably represent the remains of post medieval agricultural buildings and later quarrying and spoil dumping. Finds from the site have included pottery and coins. (11)

Sources :
Source Number : 1
Source :
Source details : OS 6" 1923
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Source Number : 2
Source :
Source details : Rec 6" (OGSC undtd)
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Vol(s) :
Source Number : 10
Source :
Source details :
Page(s) : 159
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Vol(s) : no.1
Source Number : 11
Source :
Source details : 24-Jul-98
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Source Number : 2a
Source :
Source details : Local information on the spot
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Source Number : 3
Source :
Source details : (S Piggott)
Page(s) : 478-9
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Vol(s) : 1, 1927
Source Number : 4
Source :
Source details : (J Y Akerman)
Page(s) : 433
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Vol(s) : 37, 1857
Source Number : 5
Source :
Source details :
Page(s) : 318
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Source Number : 6
Source :
Source details : F1 JB 25-JUL-73
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Source Number : 7
Source :
Source details : DOE (IAM) AMs England 3 1978 p81
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Source Number : 8
Source :
Source details : (R Hingley)
Page(s) : 127
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Vol(s) : 13, 1983
Source Number : 9
Source :
Source details : (T.G. Allen)
Page(s) : 293-315
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) : 53, 1988

Monument Types:
Monument Period Name : Roman
Display Date : Roman
Monument End Date : 410
Monument Start Date : 43
Monument Type : Villa, Bath House, Animal Burial
Evidence : Sub Surface Deposit, Find

Components and Objects:
Period : Roman
Component Monument Type : Villa, Bath House, Animal Burial
Object Type : VESSEL, COIN
Object Material : Pottery

Related Records from other datasets:
External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (County No.)
External Cross Reference Number : OX 73
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Oxfordshire)
External Cross Reference Number : 1295
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (National No.)
External Cross Reference Number : 28186
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SP 31 NE 10
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :
Associated Monuments :
Relationship type : Is referred to by
Associated Monuments :
Relationship type : Is referred to by
Associated Monuments :
Relationship type : Is referred to by
Associated Monuments :
Relationship type : Is referred to by

Related Activities :
Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1926-01-01
End Date : 1926-12-31
Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1970-01-01
End Date : 1970-12-31
Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1973-07-25
End Date : 1973-07-25
Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1986-01-01
End Date : 1987-12-31
Associated Activities :
Activity type : GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY
Start Date : 1996-01-01
End Date : 1996-12-31