Borough Hill Roman Villa

Borough Hill Roman villa is located on the north tip of Borough Hill, a prominent hill near the town of Daventry in Northamptonshire [1]. The villa’s remains lie within the ramparts of an Iron Age fortress which covers the summit of the hill [1]. The remains of the Roman villa were discovered in 1823 by the historian and archaeologist George Baker [1]. The remains were not fully excavated until 1852 when local historian Beriah Botfield thoroughly excavated and recorded the site [1]. Botfield’s excavations revealed a large range of rooms which ran from north to south, part of which was a bath suite [1]. It was deduced that the buildings were built over a period of time and that the northern rooms are later additions [1]. The earliest parts of the villa were built in the early years of the Roman occupation [1]. The villa consisted of a single storey and was constructed from the local marlstone (sandstone), infilled with rubble [1].