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Cotteswold Club, have been at great pains in following, step by 

 step, the excavations as tliey have proceeded, and have thus 

 been enabled to bring their antiquarian knowledge to bear 

 with good effect upon the discoveries which have rewarded the 

 labours of the workmen. A vast quantity of most curious and 

 interesting objects have thus been brought to light, and are 

 carefully preserved within the buildings, — articles of domestic 

 use, in glass, earthenware, and iron ; monumental remains, 

 tablets, altars, statuettes, relievos ; a large mass of iron, 

 apparently for manufacturuig purposes, coins, &c. ; and lastly, 

 but not the least interesting amongst these, is the discovery, on 

 the foundation-stone of the Villa, and in four other instances, 

 of stones inscribed with the sacred monogram, the Greek "Chi" 

 and "Rho" in combination, forming CHE, the first letters of 

 the name of Christ, from which Mr. Lysons fairly infers that 

 the original builder was a Christian. There are indications of a 

 considerable settlement having been estabhshed at this spot, 

 and one dating from a period far anterior to the Roman 

 occupation. In the immediate neighbourhood of the Villa are 

 the foundations of two temples, one round, the other square ; 

 the latter of considerable area, and, from the j)ortions of its 

 massive architrave still preserved, probably a building of 

 architectural importance. These two sacred buildings point to 

 a considerable body of worshippers. But looking to a time 

 beyond these and their Roman devotees, two tumuli close by 

 show that an earlier and ruder race had preceded the Romans 

 at this locality. In one of these mounds, under a gi-eat heap of 

 stones, was found a stone cist, containing a black fictile vessel, 

 full of burnt bones. ISTo metal was found with this interment, 

 but a few flint chips, since unhappily lost. 



Such is a brief sketch of this most remarkable discovery. 

 Doubtless much remains yet to be discovered ; but even in its 

 existing aspect it presents to the mind of the intelligent enquirer 

 a subject of strange and startling interest, carrying the beholder 

 back far into the almost forgotten past, and giving again to the 

 mind's eye, with a vividness and freshness most impressive, the 

 every-day life of those old Romans to whom we owe so much of 

 our language, our laws, and our civilization. 



