New evidence of Roman villas found at Shropshire estate in 'exciting' find

A large-scale geophysical survey of a National Trust estate as part of its plans to restore nature has uncovered evidence of two previously-unknown Roman villas.

Published 2 hours ago
Last updated 1 hour ago

The charity commissioned the survey across more than 1,000 hectares (2,471 acres) at the Attingham Park estate near Shrewsbury, to map the area's archaeological remains.

The findings will help the National Trust work with its tenant farmers on the estate to create habitat such as woodlands and wetlands to help nature recover in the area, while protecting important archaeological remains.

The estate encompasses part of the buried Roman city of Wroxeter (Viriconium Cornoviorum), which is cared for by English Heritage.

Teams from Magnitude Surveys used the latest technology to carry out a magnetometer survey, which can survey large areas in a relatively short time and records subtle changes in the local magnetic field, highlighting buried features which have different magnetic properties from the surrounding soil.

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The National Trust said it is likely the villas would have had features typical of such country estates of this type, such as underfloor heating known as hypocausts, their own bath houses, and mosaic floors.

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An artist's impression issued by National Trust of an iron age farmstead enclosure

More:
https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/local-hubs/shrewsbury/2024/07/04/new-evidence-of-roman-villas-found-at-shropshire-estate-in-exciting-find/