Possible Roman villa, Nun's Wood, St Osyth Park (EHER 2885)

Remains of Roman buildings represented by a tessellated pavement, box flue tiles and pottery. The remains of various Roman buildings have been found in the area of St Osyth Park, he discovery of a tessellated pavement, roof and box flue tiles suggest the presence of higher status buildings, possibly the site of a villa.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import. Remains of one or more Roman buildings represented by a tessellated pavement, box flue tiles and pottery. <1> A tessellated pavement, in red and buff tile tesserae, was found in 1906 near an old gravel pit, c0.75 miles north west of St Osyth Priory and 100yds north west "of the pond in Nun's Wood". No other finds were made. No other details available. <5> Part of this pavement was rediscovered in 1921. <2> <4> <5> In 1843 the finding of a tessellated pavement was noted by Wire "on the estate of St Osyth Priory". <12> In 1906 and 1921 a pavement was found, as noted above. Laver noted, in a list of villas, "remains of a pavement near a spring in St Osyth's Park, discovered in 1909, not published". According to the VCH, "All these references may be to a single villa, which lies in the spinney at the NW corner of the park". The RCHM location is vague and could mean the south end of this spinney. According to the VCH "Remains have been found at the N end but no excavations have been made". <3> - <7> A scatter of finds was discovered in 1979 close to NGR TL 11501678. They included 11 tesserae (9 `terracotta', 2 yellow `baked clay'), with mortar attached to 5 of the faces of each cube. Other finds could also be tesserae or cube-shaped broken pieces of tegulae. 4 mosaic pieces were also found - 3 in white stone and one in yellow-brown sandstone. Also in 1979, at TL 11501681 a "large piece of red terracotta slab" was found. It was a corner piece with smooth edges and upper surface, with a depressed border and rough undersurface. It had apparently been set in mortar. The finder suggested it might be part of a floor tile. The 1979 finds are with finder. Sketches of finds on back of SMR sheets. <8> <9> <10> In 1981 2 fragments of "reddish pottery, grey within, flinty and quartzy" were found at TL 11451675 "amongst large amounts of Roman debris". With finder. <11> <10> With a nearby building (see 2890) this "may be part of a large complex. Finds from locality from Belgic period onwards". <12> See field 02 for cross references to other Roman finds from the area. A Desk based assessment and site inspection of St Osyth Priory Park<13> ES 61 and 62 Listed as the site of a Roman villa. <14> Roman pottery and building debris have been observed in a quarry at TM 121168. <15>