life
ISLAND HISTORY
Roman
Villa
By June Elford
The Romans were spot-on
when it came to choosing sites
for their settlements and the
perfect location was as relevant
two thousand years ago as it is
today. On the Isle of Wight,
or Vectis as it was known, they
discovered a locus amoenus, a
lovely area tucked under the
downs with magnificent views
towards the sea.
The first villa buildings at
Brading were composed mostly
of wood. They were probably
erected very shortly after the
Roman Conquest of Britain in
AD 43. Like their neighbours
on the West Sussex coast,
the islanders of Iron Age
Wight seem to have grasped
Roman trade and culture with
particular enthusiasm. By the
mid-third century AD they
had erected a large aisled ‘barn
house’ where an industrious
farming family could share
its winter quarters with cold
shuffling animals, heaped hay
and grain.
It seems that around the
opening of the 3rd century the
40
family made a lifestyle leap
from working farm to country
house. A fine new residence
was erected close to the old.
Mosaic artists were engaged
and an intriguing walled
garden appears to have been
planned. The mosaic scenes
in the villa hint at large potted
plants and peacocks on the
lawn.
Their wealth came from
exporting timber, leather, wool
and other commodities from
Brading Haven, a nearby sea
inlet. The Haven’s ships could
readily serve local settlements
and garrisons at Southampton,
Portchester and Chichester
but they were also capable
of reaching Exeter, London,
Boulogne and Rouen.
The villa’s maritime trade
declined when barbarian
pirates began raiding southern
Britain in the 4th century.
Eventually a disastrous fire
destroyed the major part of the
building and what was left of
the grand residence was turned
into farm workshops.
How long
this building
was used
before it was finally abandoned
is still uncertain. After the
roof and the walls collapsed,
the site remained buried under
soil for hundreds of years. It
was in 1880 that John Thorp,
a retired army
captain, and a
local farmer,
William Munns,
discovered part
of the mosaic
floor.
A
corrugated-iron
structure
covered the villa
until 1998 when
the building was
condemned. It
then looked
as if the villa
would have to
be reburied.
Fortunately,
with the help
of the Heritage
Lottery
Fund and
an amazing
effort by
many others, £3.1 million was
raised to save it and a stunning
state-of-the-art exhibition and
visitor centre was opened in
July 2004 to house the Roman
www.wightfrog.com/islandlife