By Harold Brakspear, F.S.A. 



243 



was enclosed by buildings, or open, in the more usual English 

 manner, is impossible to say at present. 1 



The court had a passage round it on the east, north, and west 

 sides in front of a range of buildings presumably opening therefrom. 

 On the north and east sides was another passage outside the 

 buildings. 



The outside passage, on the east side, continued southward to a 

 set of chambers containing the baths and in the centre of its 

 length a considerable sized wing of other chambers projected 

 eastward. 



The arrangement on the west side was probably similar to that 

 on the east, judging by the discoveries under the porch of " The 

 Wilderness," and the reputed pavements in the churchyard. 2 



A considerable alteration of the original plan was made at a later 

 period at the north-east angle, by the erection of a large chamber 

 having an apsidal north end, and the outer passage on the east side 

 was so altered as to be still on the outside of the new building. 



If a corresponding addition was made on the west side all 

 evidence of its existence has been destroyed by the formation of a 

 sunk garden on its site. 



The whole of the walls of the villa were constructed of the 

 freestone beds of the great oolite, for which Box is still famous. 



The original walls were built in rubble or unsquared stones, 

 without the usual bonding courses of tile or large flat stones 

 common to Eoman work, and were plastered inside and out. 



The later walls were built with similar rubble, but faced ex- 

 ternally with squared stones, in shallow courses varying from 6 to 

 4 inches, which do not seem to have been plastered. 



The mortar was of an ordinary yellow colour, but not particularly 

 good, and there was no sign of brick being used in its composition. 



1 The tradition of the place is that the remains found in the churchyard 

 were close against the north boundary towards its east end, which, if correct, 

 would prove the south side of the court to have been enclosed by buildings. 



Since this was written the site in " The Wilderness " garden has been 

 excavated as far as possible, and will be described later. 



