17 



residences, and the owners engaged in agricultural pursuits, 

 as well as the pleasures of hunting, and united with their 

 avocations the elegancies and luxuries of refined society. 



As we go northward, Roman Villas gradually become more 

 rare, and after quitting Yorkshire and Lancashire, we lose 

 them altogether. 



They are not found in Durham, "Westmoreland, or 

 Northumberland, or in the still more northern parts. In 

 these regions you have the fortified camp alone. The great 

 northern barrier has no Roman Villas in its vicinity. 



It might here be not irrelevant to mention some of the 

 larger and more interesting Roman Villas that have been 

 found in this country. Mr. Wright (in his "Celt, Roman and 

 Saxon," p. 186) observes that modem discoveries have sho\vn 

 us how marvellously the country was covered, especially in 

 some of the southern and midland districts, with these great 

 rural residences. The largest and most magnificent Roman 

 Villa yet discovered in England (lie considers to be) at 

 Woodchester, in Gloucestershire. It is situated in the Vale 

 of Gloucester, or rather on the high grounds bordering on 

 the Vale, and about four miles from the Roman road from 

 Cirencester to the Aust passage across the Severn, and is 12 

 miles fi-om Cirencester and the same distance from Gloucester. 

 It is, I beHeve, only opened for exhibition at certain times, 

 when a charge is made to visitors, and the money so received, 

 devoted to the parish school. It would afford to this Club 

 an object of interest for a visit, if the time of the next 

 uncovering could be ascertained. Several other Villas have 

 been found in the same neighbourhood, and crossing the 

 Severn at Lydney we come upon a very striking and 

 extensive one, which has yielded some good pavements and 

 many objects of interest. I am enabled, through the kind- 

 ness of the late owner, to place before this Club a ground 

 plan of the Villa. The extent of it will be seen at once, and 



c 



