240 The Roman Villa at Box. 
In the British Archwological Journal for 1887 (xlii., 47—55) is 
a very interesting article by Mr. R. Mann, in which these notices 
are all quoted, dealing with a portion of the villa excavated in 
1881 and accompanied by a plan. 
This portion was situated to the south of that recently uncovered, 
and has been since partly built over. Mr. Mann’s description of 
the remains will be referred to later on. 
Some Roman remains are said to have been found under the 
porch of “The Wilderness” about 1888, but no record was kept of 
their character. 
In 1895 the small piece of pavement under the lawn of the same 
house was discovered. 
In 1897 Mr. Hardy, provision merchant, of Box, purchased the 
walled garden (plot A, plan of site), with the narrow strip of land 
that gives access to it from the road on the south. This land was 
part of that occupied by Mr. Mullins and referred to in his letter 
quoted above. The tradition of the Roman finds on the site caused 
Mr. Hardy to begin excavating, with the result that the greater 
part of the buildings in his garden were uncovered. 
For various reasons it was impossible to make a thorough exami- 
nation and survey of the site at that time, much as Mr. Hardy 
wished it, so that the whole was filled in again and the matter 
remained in abeyance till the summer of last year (1902). Mr. 
W. Heward Bell, of Seend, then most generously offered to bear 
the expense incurred in having the whole excavated and planned. 
The work was commenced in August, 1902, and continued until 
the end of January, 19035, and it is only right to record that it was 
to the untiring energy of Mr. Hardy, in constantly superintending 

height above the ground-floors. The remains seem to indicate that they were 
hastily plundered and then set fire to, and that the roofs and timbers fell in 
upon the floors, which are often found indented and covered with burnt 
matter and roofing tiles. After remaining in this condition, it may be, for 
centuries, the portions of the walls still standing were afterwards used as 
quarries, when stone was needed for other buildings or to make enclosures. 
The Saxon population left them in ruins; the Norman and medieval in- 
habitants used them as materials, and thus little is left to our time except 
the foundations, and that which lies buried under their debris.” 
