EDO669 - Fifehead Neville Roman villa; excavation 1903

Excavation from 1902-5 on the site of a mosaic pavement discovered in 1881 revealed two more mosaics and a wing of an extensive building was traced, though not fully. The wing appeared to consist of a range of five or more large rooms with corridors, and included a plunge bath. The main discoveries of 1902-5 were made at the eastern end of the block and included a mosaic floor with a central roundel containing a staff or spear, and evidence of an earlier phase of building. An adjacent building was interpreted as two barns. A hoard of jewellery was found; this included two rings with chi-rho symbols. Some finds survive in the Dorset County Museum, as do unpublished notes and plans (others in the Society of Antiquaries library).