Archaeological Sites on the Isle of Wight - Roman Villas on the Isle of Wight, Brading Roman Villa, Newport Roman Villa, the Longstone, Mottistone (Paperback)

Chapters: Roman Villas on the Isle of Wight, Brading Roman Villa, Newport Roman Villa, the Longstone, Mottistone. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 17. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Brading Roman Villa was a Roman courtyard villa which has been excavated and put on public display in Brading on the Isle of Wight. Beginning in August, 2008, a new excavation is due to begin; hopes are that it will reveal some new mosaics. 1879 - present day In 1879 Captain Thorp of Yarbridge began searching for Roman antiquities in the fields of Morton Farm. Mr. Munns, a local farmer, also became interested. One evening whilst using an iron bar to make holes for a sheep pen, he struck the Bacchus mosaic floor. The following morning he and Captain Thorp had uncovered the Gallus panel. By spring 1880, half of the Roman villa had been excavated on farmer Munns land. The remainder of the site extended beyond the field and onto the Oglander estate. Lady Louisa Oglander then purchased the entire site so that excavations could continue. Although open to the public by the Oglander estate for many years, it was recently handed over to a charitable trust and considerable money spent to upgrade it to a more major tourist attraction, featuring a shop and cafe. Behind is a small amphitheatre made from grassy banks. This was made recently from spoil from the building work. The Romans 2nd Augusta Legion under Vespasian conquered the Isle of Wight in 44CE. The first simple villa dates from the mid-1st century but, over the next hundred years, it developed into a large and impressive stone-built villa around three sides of a central courtyard. Its luxurious rooms contain many fine Roman mosaics. The Villa suffered a disastrous fire in the 3rd century AD. Despite this the site was still used for farming purposes for...More: http: //booksllc.net/?id=873822