240 



The Roman Villa at Box. 



In the British Archaeological Journal for 1887 (xliii., 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 Koman 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, 1903, 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 mediaeval 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." 



