ROMANO-BRITISH BERKSHIRE some skeletons exhumed on a hill near Parson's Copse. A deep pond paved with an- cient brickwork near the ' Old Street ' [Hewett, Hist, and Antiq. of Hundred, of Compton, 36]. LAMBOURN. In an arable field on Stancombe Down, situated about z miles north of the town of Lambourn and 4^ south-west of Wantage, foundations of a building, probably a Romano-British villa, were uncovered in 1887, during the course of excavations to obtain flints [Proc. Soc. Antiq. (ser. 2) xi. 410-411]. The walls were about 3 feet wide 'in strong mortar.' Unfortunately most of the materials had been carried away before Mr. W. Money, who reported the discovery to the Society of Anti- quaries, visited the spot, so the extent of the buildings could not be ascertained. Roofing- tiles, tesserae and fragments of pottery were scattered about. Mr. Money was informed that almost the whole area within the walls was covered by a stratum of wood ashes with pieces of pottery and coins, but of these last he saw only a third brass of Constantine. There were also portions of stencilled wall plaster, and a perfect Roman mortarium orna- mented with a series of triangular lines was found on the same spot [Newbury Dist. Field Club Trans, iv. 190]. What was probably the cemetery attached to this villa was found about sixteen years earlier, when some labourers digging for chalk on the open down east of and close to the cross country road to Wantage came upon part of a human skeleton. Further excavations made in consequence of this discovery disclosed ten graves parallel to each other and at a distance of about 2 feet apart, in which were twelve male skeletons and a separate skull. It is stated that many iron studs of caligce were found at the feet of one whose decapitated head was placed between his knees. Four small pieces of pottery were found and later on fragments of iron weapons and some coins, but it is not said whether all or any of these were Roman [Newbury Dist. Field Club Trans, i. 207]. In Lambourn and its precincts coins have been found from Vespasian to Magnentius (A.D. 69-350) and a circular fibula [Nezvbury Dist. Field Club Trans, iv. 204]. Large quantities of dressed flints set in cement, the remains, it is supposed, of Roman buildings, have been found in Cheneys or Cheynes meadow, which lies in this parish about half a mile north-east of Membury Fort on the Wiltshire border and on the line of the Baydon road [Daily Express, 17 June, 1901]. LETCOMBE REGIS. In October 1876 it came to the knowledge of Mr. Davey, F.G.S., that fragments of ancient pottery and the foundations of a considerable building had been discovered in a field on Cranhill farm in this parish [Arch. Journ. xxxiii. 381-392], The building was of the corridor type, 80 feet 8 inches from north to south and 36 feet 4 inches from east to west. It was divided into five rooms of varying size. In the southernmost was the hypocaust, the pibe of which varied from 8 inches square to 15 by 12 inches. All the walls were 3 feet thick but their depth varied. Many flanged flue tiles scored in the usual man- ner, pieces of wall plaster coloured a dull red, and numer- ous fragments of pottery, chiefly of common ware although a few were of Samian, were found, but not a single whole vessel. There were also iron nails, clamps and bolts, three fragments of a thick bluish iridescent glass, the usual animal remains, some snail and a great quantity of oyster shells. Only five coins were picked up at this time though many had previously been found on the site. They were a fine first brass of Trajan (A.D. 98-117), a Julia Domna (A.D. 175-217), an Allectus (A.D. 293-296), and two of Constan- tine (A.D. 306-337). An earlier discovery in this parish had been made in 1750. It was described by the rector of East Hendred as consisting of a number of small coins, a few gold but mostly silver, found within three or four brass vessels ' one L i i v rui tar.
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j | | V HYPOCAU51 i n n n n n r ' CRANHILL VILLA, LETCOMBE REGIS. within the other in the shape of a hat ' and ' full of holes like a cullendar ' [Bibl. Topog. Brit. iv. 29, 30]. Another local clergyman who had seen some of these coins reported that they were ' of modern date struck but a little before the Romans left this island ' [Ibid. iv. 57]. 211
