An Early Iron Age Roundhouse, Late Roman Villa and Roman Landscape at Millfields, Cam, Gloucestershire: 53 (TVAS Monograph Series)

Fieldwork revealed details of a wide landscape of Roman fields and enclosures laid out around the junction of two droveways and probably spanning the entire Roman period.An early Iron Age roundhouse radiocarbon dated to 653-542 cal BC had previously occupied the same area that was to be close to the heart of the Roman enclosures.However, the chief interest of the site lies in the late Roman period (later 3rd to 4th century) when a rectangular villa was constructed on the terrace edge overlooking the river Cam.Initially of just three rooms it was soon expanded to six and the southern end was then subdivided to form a bath suite.Although of very simple plan form, the building was of some sophistication with very substantial deep stone foundations carrying stone walls, an elaborate hypocaust, decoratively painted wall plaster, stone roof, and furniture including some with decorative stone tops.Other signs of obvious wealth, however, are lacking.The villa seems to have been demolished by t