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Summary

Roman tile bearing the inscription LEG(IO) II AUG(USTA) found at either the Honeyditches villa site or the possible fort site at Couchill.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY29SW/161/3
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SY29SW39

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FINDSPOT (III - 201 AD to 300 AD (Between))

Full description

Unknown, Finds from Seaton Roman Villa in Rougemont House Museum (Un-published). SDV346099.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, SY29SW39 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV346103.

Untitled Source (Museum Collection). SDV346100.

Anonymous, 1860, Untitled Source, 35 (Article in Serial). SDV346105.

Worth, R. N., 1892, Notes on Roman Devon, 76 (Article in Serial). SDV346097.

A tile, now in Somerset County Museum, Taunton, was found by Mr. Haverfield of Christ Church, Oxford. The tile, which bears the inscription 'LEG II AUG', is thought by Mr. Haverfield to indicate Roman military occupation at Seaton. Worth disagrees.

Haverfield, F. J., 1892, Untitled Source, 178-9 (Article in Serial). SDV346104.

Davies Price, T., 1938, Untitled Source, 46 (Article in Serial). SDV346098.

Illustrated in article. Other details: Figure 4.

Bidwell, P. T. + Boon, G., 1976, An Antefix of the Second Augustan Legion from Exeter, 278-280 (Article in Serial). SDV346106.

Bidwell, P. T., 1984, The Roman Site at Seaton (Un-published). SDV120083.

Bidwell suggests that it is possible that the tile was planted by a collector. However, he also suggests that the case for military occupation would be considerably strengthened if petrological examination were to show that the fabric was of local origin.

Boon, G. C., 1984, Untitled Source, 52 (Monograph). SDV346107.

Maxfield, V. A., 1986, Devon and the End of the Fosse Frontier, 1-8 (Article in Serial). SDV118209.

Other details: Map.

Holbrook, N., 1987, Trial Excavations at Honeyditches and the Nature of the Roman Occupation at Seaton, 65-67,72-73 (Article in Serial). SDV120090.

Holbrook suggests that the tile may have come form the site of the possible fort at Couchill. The tile was donated to Taunton Museum by Walter Trevelyan who owned both sites. The die is of a previously unknown type but is likely to be 3rd century AD. Petrological analysis suggests that the tile was not produced at the II Augustan Legion base at Caerleon.

Holbrook, N., 1987, Trial Excavations at Honeyditches, Seaton, 11 (Report - Excavation). SDV120091.

Holbrook implies that the tile, considered to be of third century date, came from the possible fort site at Couchill.

Horner, B., 1991, Untitled Source (Personal Comment). SDV346102.

Holbrook refers to this as a pila tiles, which would suggest it came from a hypocaust or bath house, which would suit the known information from the Honeyditches site. However, it does not rule out the possibility that it came from a ?fort at Couchill. It also reinforces a military or official connection with the Honeyditches site, as Holbrook also argues.

Warry, P., 2010, Legionary Tile Production in Britain (Article in Serial). SDV361507.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV2016 - TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Events: none recorded

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