Summary
The east corridor or portico of the villa running north-south bounding the garden court area. The corridor runs between two parallel walls with the ground surface is laid to grass, and slopes gently down from north to south.
Identification Images (0)
Monument Types
- VILLA (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
Description
The east corridor or portico, of the villa running north-south bounding the garden court area. The corridor runs between two parallel walls with the ground surface is laid to grass, and slopes gently down from north to south. The walls on both sides are capped with almost flat rough limestone slabs set in hard cement and have been repointed in recent years.
At the north end of the corridor, on the eastern side, is a larger, thicker pier of stone which seems to be part of the east wall, but is thicker. On the west side of the northern end is a gap in the wall allowing access to the north east corner of the garden court.
The north end of the corridor is a blank wall, with no evidence of communication between it and the north corridor. Survival of stratigraphy beneath grass is not known for much of the corridor to the north of the central steps however sample excavation has revealed very deep stratigraphy in the southern part of the corridor, showing the extent to which material was (re)deposited to form the garden court. Wall foundations at junction with original steps and entrance were revealed in 1980s excavation.
At the south end, a large section of the east wall of the corridor is on a different alignment from the rest of the wall. This is due to the incorrect alignment of the C19th reconstruction of this area, which was not understood until excavation in the central part of the corridor c.1978-1980. The north part of the east wall in this southern section of corridor was rebuilt along the lines of the Roman foundations, but only for about half of its length. The east wall is capped with the slightly-sloping rough stone flags used in the north part of the corridor.
Along the west side. The wall rises only to the level of the garden court, and is "capped" by the turf of the court.
The south end of the corridor is a blank wall of undetermined date, with no apparent communication with the south corridor.[SNA62028]
The buried mosaic survey test pit in the southern part of the corridor revealed two distinct layers of make-up deposits with a substantial cut and retaining wall to the east. No evidence of floor levels was recovered and the natural substrate was not encountered [SNA62068]
In 2016, a trench across the north end of the East Gallery revealed that there was no door, steps or access to North Range 25b at this location and original floor levels of the East Gallery had been removed. A threshold doorway in the west wall was made up of reused stones, perhaps from the Nyphaeum pool. The thick wall forming the east wall of the Gallery is interpreted as a buttress to support the south wall of the North Range corridor where the wide doorway leads from 25b to the corridor [SNA68987].
References
- SNA62028 - National Trust Report: Atkins Heritage. 2007. Chedworth Roman Villa Conservation Management Plan Gazetteer.
- SNA62032 - Unpublished document: R Goodburn. 1979. Notes relating to Goodburn's excavation of the south half of the east corridor in 1979.
- SNA62036 - Unpublished document: Eric Cole and Partners. 1979. Short Specification of Work to be done outside the rear of the Custodian's lodge at Chedworth Roman Villa.
- SNA62057 - Article in serial: Goodburn, R. 1980. Roman Britain in 1979. 11.
- SNA62058 - Article in serial: Goodburn, R. 1981. Roman Britain in 1980. 12.
- SNA62059 - Article in serial: Goodburn, R. 1982. Roman Britain in 1981. 13.
- SNA62060 - Unpublished document: Goodburn, R. 1979. A letter from Roger Goodburn to A Mitchell regarding the 1979 excavations at Chedworth.
- SNA62068 - National Trust Report: Cotswold Archeological Trust. 2000. Archaeological Survey of Buried Mosaics, Chedworth Roman Villa.
- SNA68987 - Unpublished document: Martin Papworth. 2020. Chedworth Roman Villa North Range Research Project Season 4 August 2016. INT180.
Other Statuses and References
- HER/SMR Reference (External): 547
Associated Events
- ENA103 - Archaeological Intervention, Goodburn's 1981 Excavation of the East Corridor / Portico, Chedworth Roman Villa (Ref: INT 33)
- ENA105 - Non Archaeological Intervention, Re-building of garden cross-passage portico, Chedworth Roman Villa (Ref: INT 7)
- ENA107 - Archaeological Intervention, Goodburn's 1982 Excavation and Consolidation of Garden Portico, Chedworth Roman Villa (Ref: INT 36)
- ENA119 - Archaeological Intervention, Goodburn's 1986 Excavation and consolidation of Garden Portico, Chedworth Roman Villa (Ref: INT 46)
- ENA37 - Archaeological Intervention, Buried Mosaic Survey, Chedworth Roman Villa (Ref: INT 118)
- ENA4106 - Field Survey, Repairs to walls and cappings, Chedworth Roman Villa
- ENA93 - Archaeological Intervention, Goodburn's 1979 Excavation of the Eastern Corridor / Portico, Chedworth Roman Villa (Ref: INT 28)
- ENA10003 - Archaeological Intervention, Phase 4 North Range Research Project 21, 25b, East Gallery, 19, Nymphaeum Aug 2016
Associated Finds
None Recorded