The Roman invasion of Britain began in AD 43 under Emperor Claudius. The southern half of Britain had largely been conquered by the Roman General Vespasian and the Second Legion by AD 47. Towns were established at Chichester (Noviomagnus), Winchester (Venta Belgarum) and Silchester (Calleva Atrebatum). Trading ports developed at Portchester (Portus Advrni) and Southampton (Clausentum) (Wilcuma.org, 2024) A network of roads were constructed to speed up the movement of people and goods throughout Britain. Waterlooville was crossed by the roman road now known as Route 421 (Margary, 1955). Stretching 27½ miles, Route 421 linked the town of Chichester with the port at Southampton, passing the pottery and tile production centres at Rowlands Castle.
Two thousand years later, the routes of many roman roads are still used today. Purbrook Heath Road is one example that follows the course used by the romans. Sometimes the old roman roads are still visible as earthworks, like the section east of Purbrook, near South Downs College. This section is protected as a scheduled ancient monument (Historic England List Entry 1001859, 2019). The course of the roman road and a roman villa are marked on the 1954 Ordnance Survey map.
Over time, Roman culture began to spread, and villas like those found in Italy, began to appear in the British countryside. Several roman villas have been recorded in this area (Dicks, 2009). A Roman Villa near Southdown’s College, was excavated by local antiquarians George Smith and Lt Col. J.H.Cooke in 1926. In 2018, geophysical survey confirmed the remains of a Roman villa with six or seven ancillary buildings including a bath house, still lie beneath the ground. Finds such as imported pottery, roman coins, painted plaster, mosaic tiles and imbrex and tegula roof tiles suggest these were substantial structures inhabited by wealthy owners. It is thought that the owners of this villa, may have been connected with the villa and tilery at Crookhorn that was excavated in the 1970s (Historic England List Entry 1001859, 2019). A roman villa displaying many of these features has been built at nearby Butser Ancient Farm. Why not visit and experience life in Roman Britain for yourself?
Bibliography
Dicks. (2009). Retrieved from https://www.rowlandscastleheritagecentre.org.uk/landscapeheritage/archaeology/roman-villas/
Historic England List Entry 1001859. (2019). List Entry 1001859. Retrieved from https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1001859?section=official-listentry
Margary via Historic England. (2024, 12 27). Lost Roman Road. Retrieved from https://historicengland.org.uk/whats-new/research/back-issues/lost-roman-road/
Margary, 1. (1955). Historic England. Retrieved from https://historicengland.org.uk/whatsnew/research/back-issues/lost-roman-road/
National Library of Scotland. (1954). SU60-B. Retrieved from https://maps.nls.uk/view/95749982
Wilcuma.org. (2024, 12 27). Retrieved from Roman Hampshire