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Record Details

NHER Number:3575
Type of record:Monument
Name:Site of Roman villa, Watery Lane

Summary

The remains of a substantial Roman villa were discovered here in the late 19th century. The site was excavated in the early 20th century, which revealed the plan of the villa, as well as painted wallplaster, tesserae and other Roman finds.

Images

  • Photograph of excavations at Grimston villa in 1906. © Norfolk County Council
  • A postcard written by J.E.B. in 1906 describing the discovery of painted wall plaster at Grimston villa. © Norfolk County Council

Location

Grid Reference:TF 7179 2167
Map Sheet:TF72SW
Parish:GRIMSTON, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Roman villa.
First discovered about 1860.
Excavated 1905 to 1906.
Details and (S1) in file.
E. Rose (NLA) October 1990.

1964.
Transferred from Colchester Museum to NCM:
2 small pierced clay objects "…from the Roman villa at Grimston, Norfolk".
Subsequently accessioned as NWHCM : 1965.22. See sketch (S2) and associated correspondence (S3).
P. Watkins (HES), 25 November 2015.

(S2) states that this is a substantial building that was probably more complex than a winged corridor villa.
The excavations in 1905 and 1906 recovered painted wall plaster, tesserae, and other Roman finds. See lists in file for more details.
S. Spooner (NLA) 18 January 2006

Monument Types

  • HYPOCAUST (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • PIT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • TESSELLATED FLOOR (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • VILLA (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • WALL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Finds

  • ANIMAL REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BROOCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FLUE TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • KNIFE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • MOLLUSCA REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • NAIL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • PIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • ROOF TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • TESSERA (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • TESSERA (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • TESSERA (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • VESSEL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • WINDOW GLASS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Protected Status

  • Scheduled Monument

Sources and further reading

---Article in Serial: Laver, H. 1907. On a Roman Villa recently discovered at Grimston, Norfolk. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XVI pp 219-227.
---Designation: [unknown]. Ancient Monuments Form. SAM Record. DNF260.
---Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1996. TF 7121AES.
---Photograph: Beloe, E. M.. 1906. [unknown].
---Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TF 72 SW 9 [2].
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Newspaper Article: Lynn News and Advertiser. 1906. Interesting discoveries in West Norfolk - Roman remains at Grimston. November.
---Illustration: 1906. Plan of Roman Villa at Grimston.
---Correspondence: Bate, Major.. 1906. Postcard to Dr. Laver.
---Correspondence: Various. 1950. Correspondence with R. R. Clarke about damage to the Roman site at Grimston.
---Article in Serial: Smallwood, J.. 1997. Grimston Villa.. The Annual. No 6, p 12ff.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Roman. Grimston.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Late Saxon. Grimston.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Medieval. Grimston.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
<S1>Designation: Ministry of Works. Schedule Report.
<S2>Article in Monograph: Gregory, A. 1982. Romano-British Settlement in West Norfolk and on the Norfolk Fen Edge. The Romano-British Countryside, Studies in Rural Settlement and Economy. Miles, D. (ed.). British Archaeological Reports British Series No 103 pp 352-376. pt ii, pp 351-376.
<S2>Illustration: Clarke, D. 1964. Rough sketches of two pierced clay objects from Grimston Roman villa. Paper. 1:1.
<S3>Correspondence: 1964. Correspondance between D. Clarke and F. Cheetham about objects from the Roman villa in Colchester Museum.

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