Monument record TQ 76 SW 10 - Eccles Roman Villa, Eccles

Summary

A large Roman Villa complex was excavated at Eccles by AP Detsicas from 1963-1976. The first building dates from around AD 65 and was palatial from the beginning. It had 12 rooms (5 tessellated), a verandah and possibly a second storey. A large, sumptuous bath house, with mosaics reminiscent of Fishbourne Roman Villa, stands nearby. There is the possibility of military influence in the architecture, such as the circular laconium. It was possibly the property of a local philo-Roman magnate or the home of a government official. Large scale pottery manufacture may support the former theory. See TQ 76 SW 36 The first house was replaced by another with marked civilian characteristics and then by a grandiose structure. Between AD 150-290 a cold plunge bath, large enough to be a swimming pool, was added. The final reconstruction turned the house to face south west. It had a main range of rooms with two projecting wings enclosing an inner courtyard. Geophysical surveys in 1996 showed that the site may have extended to the north of the villa.

Location

Grid reference Centred TQ 7223 6055 (549m by 455m) FCE
Map sheet TQ76SW
County KENT
District TONBRIDGE AND MALLING, KENT
Civil Parish AYLESFORD, TONBRIDGE AND MALLING, KENT

Map

Type and Period (5)

Full Description

<1> OS 6" 1968 (OS Card Reference). SKE48376.

<2> Arch Cant 78 1963 125-41 illus (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE35627.

<3> Arch Cant 79 1964 121-35 illus (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE35657.

<4> Arch Cant 80 1965 69-91 illus (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE35700.

<5> Arch Cant 81 1966 44-52 illus (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE35725.

<6> Arch Cant 82 1967 162-78 illus (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE35738.

<7> Arch Cant 83 1968 39-48 illus (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE35777.

<8> Arch Cant 84 1969 93-106 illus (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE35797.

<9> Arch Cant 85 1970 55-60 illus (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE35826.

<10> Arch Cant 86 1971 25-34 illus (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE35871.

<11> Arch Cant 87 1972 101-10 (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE35879.

<12> Arch Cant 88 1973 37-80 (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE35960.

<13> Arch Cant 89 1974 119-34 (A Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE35966.

<14> Arch Cant 91 1975 41-5 illus (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE36059.

<15> Arch Cant 92 1976 157-63 illus (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE36077.

<16> Arch Cant 93 1977 55-59 illus (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE36158.

<17> Current Arch 2 1969-70 286 (D Johnston) (OS Card Reference). SKE39524.

<18> SE Eng 1970 187-8 (R Jessup) (OS Card Reference). SKE49423.

<19> Studies in the RB Villa 1978 121 200-1 161 fig 53 (M Todd) (OS Card Reference). SKE49706.

<20> BAR 103 2 1982 RB Countyside 442 and 444 (D Miles) (OS Card Reference). SKE37466.

<21> Arch Cant 102 1985 19-25 illus (RSO Tomlin) (OS Card Reference). SKE34607.

<22> Ant J 54 1974 305-6 (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE33210.

<23> Arch J 55 1975 406 407 illus (AP Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE36657.

<24> Supp Gaz of Find Spots of Celtic Coins in Brit 1977 1978 77 (C Haselgrove) (OS Card Reference). SKE49728.

<25> Ro Mosaics in Brit 1981 76 (DS Neal) (OS Card Reference). SKE49276.

<26> BAR 70 1979 Agric Bldgs Ro Brit 104-5 114 118 (P Morris) (OS Card Reference). SKE37553.

<27> Ro Brit 1978 113 (J Wacher) (OS Card Reference). SKE49265.

<28> Not applicable, SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry, Pers Comm EH to KCC 26.6.98 (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6440.

<29> Stratascan, 1996, A Report for Lawson-Price Environmental on a Geophysical Survey carried out at Eccles Roman Villa (Unpublished document). SKE7142.

<30> EXCAVATED BY A.P.DETSICAS.SEE ARCH CANT 78/1963,79/1964 (SITE 'B' TQ 7212 6061) Types: VILLA (Photograph). SKE507.

<31> MOSAIC 43:GLADIATOR Types: MOSAIC (Photograph). SKE396.

<32> EXCAVATED BY A.P.DETSICAS.SEE ARCH CANT 78/1963,79/1964 Types: VILLA (Photograph). SKE508.

<33> MOSAIC 43:GLADIATOR Types: MOSAIC (Photograph). SKE472.

<34> Detsicas, A. P., 1965, Recent Excavations: Eccles, Pages 6 - 8 (Article in serial). SKE8115.

<35> English Heritage, Register of Scheduled Monuments (Scheduling record). SKE16191.

<36> Historic England, Archive material associated with Eccles Roman Villa Scheduled Monument (Archive). SKE54077.

Sources/Archives (36)

  • <1> OS Card Reference: OS 6" 1968.
  • <2> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 78 1963 125-41 illus (AP Detsicas).
  • <3> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 79 1964 121-35 illus (AP Detsicas).
  • <4> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 80 1965 69-91 illus (AP Detsicas).
  • <5> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 81 1966 44-52 illus (AP Detsicas).
  • <6> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 82 1967 162-78 illus (AP Detsicas).
  • <7> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 83 1968 39-48 illus (AP Detsicas).
  • <8> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 84 1969 93-106 illus (AP Detsicas).
  • <9> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 85 1970 55-60 illus (AP Detsicas).
  • <10> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 86 1971 25-34 illus (AP Detsicas).
  • <11> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 87 1972 101-10 (AP Detsicas).
  • <12> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 88 1973 37-80 (AP Detsicas).
  • <13> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 89 1974 119-34 (A Detsicas).
  • <14> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 91 1975 41-5 illus (AP Detsicas).
  • <15> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 92 1976 157-63 illus (AP Detsicas).
  • <16> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 93 1977 55-59 illus (AP Detsicas).
  • <17> OS Card Reference: Current Arch 2 1969-70 286 (D Johnston).
  • <18> OS Card Reference: SE Eng 1970 187-8 (R Jessup).
  • <19> OS Card Reference: Studies in the RB Villa 1978 121 200-1 161 fig 53 (M Todd).
  • <20> OS Card Reference: BAR 103 2 1982 RB Countyside 442 and 444 (D Miles).
  • <21> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 102 1985 19-25 illus (RSO Tomlin).
  • <22> OS Card Reference: Ant J 54 1974 305-6 (AP Detsicas).
  • <23> OS Card Reference: Arch J 55 1975 406 407 illus (AP Detsicas).
  • <24> OS Card Reference: Supp Gaz of Find Spots of Celtic Coins in Brit 1977 1978 77 (C Haselgrove).
  • <25> OS Card Reference: Ro Mosaics in Brit 1981 76 (DS Neal).
  • <26> OS Card Reference: BAR 70 1979 Agric Bldgs Ro Brit 104-5 114 118 (P Morris).
  • <27> OS Card Reference: Ro Brit 1978 113 (J Wacher).
  • <28> Miscellaneous Material: Not applicable. SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry. Pers Comm EH to KCC 26.6.98.
  • <29> Unpublished document: Stratascan. 1996. A Report for Lawson-Price Environmental on a Geophysical Survey carried out at Eccles Roman Villa.
  • <30> Photograph: EXCAVATED BY A.P.DETSICAS.SEE ARCH CANT 78/1963,79/1964 (SITE 'B' TQ 7212 6061) Types: VILLA. P29048. Black and White. Print.
  • <31> Photograph: MOSAIC 43:GLADIATOR Types: MOSAIC. BB81/05315. Black and White. Negative.
  • <32> Photograph: EXCAVATED BY A.P.DETSICAS.SEE ARCH CANT 78/1963,79/1964 Types: VILLA. P29049. Black and White. Print.
  • <33> Photograph: MOSAIC 43:GLADIATOR Types: MOSAIC. FF86/00336. Colour. Negative.
  • <34> Article in serial: Detsicas, A. P.. 1965. Recent Excavations: Eccles. Vol 1 Pages 6 - 8. Pages 6 - 8.
  • <35>XY Scheduling record: English Heritage. Register of Scheduled Monuments. [Mapped feature: #347 roman villa, ]
  • <36> Archive: Historic England. Archive material associated with Eccles Roman Villa Scheduled Monument.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (3)

  • Intrusive Event: ECCLES (Ref: EI 36296) (EKE4541)
  • Non-Intrusive Event: Geophysical survey at Eccles Roman Villa (Ref: EHGSDB) (EKE5271)
  • Intrusive Event: ROWE PLACE FARM,ECCLES, 1962-76 (Ref: EI 15199) (EKE4119)

Related Thematic Articles (1)

Record last edited

Aug 3 2021 12:30PM