insideKENT Magazine Issue 51 - June 2016 | Page 107

© English Heritage DAYSOUT Lullingstone Roman Villa Kent has always been an important place for a number of reasons – trade, transport, produce, location – and no one knew that as well as the Romans who navigated to our bountiful county in their thousands. The first Roman invasion of Britain landed at Deal in 55BC and the Romans must have fallen in love with our special coast then, as the very first Roman town to be built in Britain (dating back to AD43) was discovered beneath Richborough, near Sandwich. Richborough was, at that time, located on the coast, even though today it is several miles inland. BY LISAMARIE LAMB One such inland settlement was Lullingstone, hear Eynsford in West Kent. The reason we know that this was a popular place for the Romans to live, work and enjoy themselves as only Romans could is due to the fascinating, unique and ultimately incredibly important Roman villa that was discovered there. Lullingstone Roman Villa is now part of English Heritage and visiting it is a great allweather experience for the whole family. The villa is believed to have been started in around AD100, but what began as a simple (although eminently comfortable) house in the lush surroundings of the Darent Valley, grew to become one of the most luxurious Roman residences in all of Britain by the middle of the 4th century. Today, Lullingstone Roman Villa is recognised as being one of the best preserved such building in the UK. Lullingstone Roman Villa is tucked away down a pretty one-track country lane and, once you emerge at the end, there isn’t initially a huge amount to see – there is one building and no Roman villa in sight. But a little further investigation is all that is needed, and soon all becomes clear. The villa, we learn, is beneath the current level of the ground, and the modern structure that we see when we arrive actually houses not only the ancient Roman house, but a fantastic, interactive museum and shop too. Entering the villa is a surreal experience; from the light, bright, up-to-date visitor centre we found ourselves in a dark, almost eerie, beautifully lit Roman villa. Or rather, we were at the edge of it. A walkway extends around three of the four walls of the villa and it is possible to see it from every angle, looking down onto what once was a rich Roman family’s home. The lives that were lived there are almost touchable; history has never been closer. 107 © English Heritage As the years passed and Britain became more and more prosperous (thanks to the Romans themselves, of course, even if their invasion wasn’t an entirely friendly one), settlements began to make their way away from the coa