More information : TF 73541806. ROMAN VILLA (R) (remains of) (1) The Roman villa at Gayton Thorpe consisted of two buildings, the north block and a later south block. Excavations in 1922 by W L Charlton uncovered rooms K, L, M, and N in north block and one in south block (see plan). Later excavations in 1923 showed the north block as an advanced 'corridor' type, incorporating a bathhouse (rooms B, C, D and F). A mosaic of elaborate design was found in room L, but floors of rooms O, P1 and P2 had disappeared leaving only remains of hypocaust pillars. The south block was originally an isolated structure, mainly ill-preserved except that room one had a largely intact mosaic floor, later damaged. Finds from the site include three 3rd.c.coins a small quantity of Samian ware, mortaria and rustic ware, suggesting occupation from 150-170 AD to 300-320 AD. (2) Small bronze plaque with bird motif, also a fragment of repousse bronze from horse harness or casket decorated in Celtic style c.AD. 40-60. In King's Lynn Museum. (3) A mass of pink mortar and hypocaust tiles were revealed by deep ploughing in 1966, seventy yards south of the Roman villa at Gayton Thorpe. Probably a detached bath-house. (4) The published site lies on level sandy soil at present under plough. No structural remains of the villa are visible on the surface but a dense scatter of pottery (over ten sherds per square metre) is visible for about 100.0m on a slight north west-south east ridge. According to the farmer at the Manor House a protection fence was erected at TF 73531805 over a buried mosaic floor, but the exact room was not identified. No further buildings were traced to the south of the site. (5)
TF 735 181. The base of a Roman jar was found in 1983 as a surface find whilst fieldwalking the Roman villa. A graffito read 'Odysseus'. (6)
TF 735 181. a further sherd with a graffito reading 'if Athena (then its) Minerva' was found in 1985 during fieldwalking. (7)
Additional references. (8-10)
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