SDO9775 - DISCOVERY OF ROMAN PAVEMENT

– From Time to time discoveries of Roman pavements Are made in our ancient borough of Durnovaria. And some remarkable good specimens are pre- Served in the County Museum. Yet another Roman floor has been unearthed during An excavation that was being made for the pur- Pose of building an inspection pit in one of the Series of new garages belonging to Messrs. Tilleys In Trinity street. The discovery was made About 4ft below the surface, the pavement Being in three separate parts. The largest is Several feet in length and extends beneath the Concrete floor of the garage, thus rendering It difficult for it to be taken up, and another Piece is under a wall. Fortunately, the third Piece, an oblong panel, was come-at-able. This panel has a red and white design Down the centre on a black background with a Bordering in white and black. That portion Of the pavement beneath the concrete floor is In black and white mosaic squares, with a centre- Piece of red and white squares, and has a decidedly Pretty appearance. In the excavation not much Of the third piece was exposed to view, but that Which is visible is in the form of an elongated Triangle in black and white. It is surmised That the pavement may have originally belonged To a Roman villa in the vicinity, and this surmise Is strengthened by the fact that portions of Roman pavement were some years ago unearthed In the grounds of Somerleigh Court near by And also in the opposite direction, beneath The site of the Post-office. It is interesting To note that while work was in progress on Messrs. Tilley’s new garages some time ago other Portions of Roman pavement were found about 20 yar[d]s away from that now under notice. The site was visited on Tuesday by two well- Known local antiquarians – Captain J. E. Acland (curator of the County Museum) and Mr. Chas. S. Prideaux, who were keenly interested in the Discovery and spent a considerable time in Inspecting the pavement.