178 PROCEEDINGS COTTESWOLD CLUB 1906 
primigenius have been found. Fragments of brachiopods are present, 
but nothing of importance was picked up during the examination. 
At the close of the day’s proceedings, Mr Winwood was thanked 
for his services, and in responding, he said his only regret was that 
so few Members had found it convenient to be present. 
H. L. White, B.A., was elected a Member. 
HALF-DAY EXCURSION TO COOPER’S HILL 
NEAR GLOUCESTER 
SATURDAY, JUNE tIoth, 1905. 
Diretors Bs-}.° COLLIS, -F.G.S, 
(Report by L. RICHARDSON amd W. THOMPSON.) 
The Members met at the Roman Villa about 3.30 p.m." In the 
absence of the President and the Hon. Secretary the arrangements 
were in the hands of Mr F. J. Cullis. 
First an examination was made of the two rooms of the Villa 
which are accessible to the public. They were inspected with curio- 
sity, tinged with regret at the damaged condition of the pavement, 
and the need which exists for a more effective preservation of the 
remains. This thought was expressed by Mr William Bellows, 
and on the motion of Mr G. M. Currie, seconded by Mr A. E. Smith, 
it was decided to bring the matter under the notice of the respective 
councils of the Cotteswold Club and the Archzological Society, with 
an intimation that it had been thought desirable to advise the expendi- 
ture of a certain sum of money in order to achieve the satisfactory 
preservation of such remains as are exposed to public investigation. 
It transpired that Mr W. F. Hicks-Beach, the owner of the property, 
had signified his readiness to co-operate with others in achieving this 
end, and it was also mentioned that the sites of many other Roman 
villas have been discovered in this neighbourhood. © It has long been 
clear that Birdlip was an important posting station during the Roman 
occupation of England, and the size of the Cooper’s-Hill Villa and the 
presence of so many others in the same picturesque district can only 
serve to make additionally interesting a subject which has claimed the 
attention of the historian and antiquarian, and which still calls for 
further investigation. The Cooper’s-Hill Villa was discovered in 
1818. Thirty-three rooms and passages were explored, but only two 
rooms are now exposed. The coins which have been found cover a 
period from the time of Constantine to that of Valens—about 100 
1 For an account of a previous excursion see Proc. Cotteswold Nat. F. C., vol. viii, 
pt. 1 (1881-2), pp. 72-74. 
