A group of archaeology students from the University of Leicester have made a significant discovery in the Leicestershire countryside.
The remains of a Roman villa believed to date from the 2nd century were unearthed during a two-week excavation campaign in May, as part of a field school for first-year students.
The recent discovery of the impressive 70-metre-long structure follows the university’s discovery in 2021 of another Roman villa beneath a farmer’s field in Rutland, famous for its Trojan War mosaic.
The newly discovered villa offers valuable insights into Roman country houses in rural Britain, according to the University of Leicester.
Under the guidance of experienced archaeologists from the University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS), the students discovered a range of artefacts.
They found fragments of brightly coloured wall plaster and mosaic tiles, suggesting that the rooms were decorated according to contemporary Roman fashions.
Dr Philippa Walton, Professor of Roman Archaeology at the university, congratulated the students on learning many new skills and making a significant contribution to the understanding of Roman life in Leicestershire.
She said: “The students’ hands-on experience has been invaluable in improving our knowledge of Roman habitation in the region.”
Dr Walton also told Newsweek about a “rather mysterious” stone-lined feature that was discovered by the team and may have been used for storage.
The excavation was documented in a Time Team article, focusing on the students’ first excavation experience. Time Team’s Dr. John Gater highlighted the use of advanced surveying techniques.
He said: “The magnetic survey revealed a complex landscape of features including ring ditches and field systems, while ground penetrating radar mapped the footprint of the villa.
“Although many of the ground surfaces had been looted, it was amazing to see the large blocks of granite stone forming some of the foundations of the walls.”
The university said many Roman artefacts had been discovered at the site over the years. Recently identified cultivation traces have revealed prehistoric settlement ditches and the villa, adding to the historical significance of the site.
