By the Bev. C. Collier, M.A., F.S.A. 



295 



Was Andover a Roman settlement ? I am not aware that any- 

 bronze remains or stone buildings of that people have been found 

 in the town ; but we have ample evidence that Andover was in the 

 midst of the villas, roads, and camps of that people. 



We are surrounded by Roman remains — east, west, north, and 

 south. On the east we have the Roman road, running to Cirencester. 

 On the north, the road to Silchester, called the Port W T ay, sometimes 

 called the Icknild Street. On the south we have Rooksbury, or, as 

 it is sometimes called, Balksbury, a camp below Bury Hill. And 

 on the west and north-west the villas of Thruxton and Redenham. 



At Redenham Park were found the floors of four rooms of a Roman 

 villa. They ran south-east and north-west, and altogether measured 

 some 40ft. by 17ft. The two middle rooms were each 13ft. across, 

 and those at the end 6ft. The remains at Thruxton consisted of a 

 pavement, probably of a dining-room. In the centre was represented 

 a Bacchus on a leopard. Above ran the legend " Quintus Natalius 

 Natalinus et Bodeni. To the north of the pavement were graves con- 

 taining five skeletons. Coins of the Constantines and later Emperors 

 were found on the site, close to the old Roman road running to Sil- 

 chester. Southward, in the minster field at Abbot's Ann, were found 

 traces of a large Roman villa. There can be no doubt that a large 

 Roman settlement existed in the district, west, north-east, and south- 

 west of Andover. 



The Roman road leading fromVenta Belgarum to Cirencester crosses 

 the Port Way within a mile of Andover. The first-named retains 

 all its original features as it passes through Harewood Forest, about 

 two miles from Andover ; and every traveller by the rail between 

 Grateley and Porton must have observed how clearly the Port Way 

 is seen close to the line. The appearance of Roman remains at the 

 junction of the two roads near Finkley induced Sir R. Hoare to 

 place there the itinerary post of Vindomis. Where Vindomis was, 

 however, we know not. Camden says Silchester was Vindomis, and 

 Stukeley says the same. Horsley places it at Farnham. Reynolds 

 in his commentary on the Itinerary of Antoninus says it was at the 

 Vyne, near Reading, and Mr. Long argues that it was at Basingstoke. 



Perhaps the line of the Roman roads with which we are connected 



