A tour of Crofton Roman Vila in Orpington, Bromley. The tour covers the discovery of the Roman Villa in 1988, explaining all the key features of the Villa, both as it would have looked 1,800 years ago as well as the ruins that remain today. The remains include hypocaust (central heating), tessellated floors and opus signinum floors (concrete floors). We explore how the villa fell into ruin after its abandonment in around AD410.
As part of the tour we look at the artefacts discovered at the villa during the excavation and explain what these objects (some original and some replica) tell us about life on the Roman Villa. The Crofton Roman Villa was occupied from about AD140 to 400 and was the centre of a farming estate of about 500 acres. Nearby would have been farm buildings, surrounded by fields, meadows and woods. Many animal bones were discovered during the excavations, and we show these and explain what they may tell us about the foods eaten by the occupants of the Villa.
The site was fully excavated by the Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit, which also carried out the complete preservation scheme, with funding provided by Bromley Council. The Unit now manages the scheme on behalf of the Council.
From April - October the Villa is open to the public on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & BH Mondays from 10am - 3.30pm (last entry 3pm) and on the first Sunday in the month, 2pm - 4.30pm.
For updated opening times for 2021 - please see our website, as normal opening times are subject to change.
For more information see:
Website: www.karu.org.uk/crofton_roman_villa.html
Twitter: @CroftonVilla
Instagram: @crofton.roman.villa
Facebook: https:/www.facebook.com/croftonromanvilla
Email: crofton.roman.villa@gmail.com
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