Roman villa N of Stowey Hill

The Roman villa near Pitney in South Somerset once stood on land that belonged to the Roman city of Lindinis. Its remains were uncovered between 1828 and 1829, revealing a large complex of buildings arranged around a central courtyard. The owner’s quarters included rooms heated by hypocausts and floors decorated with mosaics, one showing the four seasons as winged figures. Excavations found two fine mosaics, one with mythological scenes, though only copies survive today. The courtyard’s far side held stables and servants’ rooms, while its sides contained a bathhouse and more storage. Two inscribed gravestones were also found in the courtyard, one for a girl aged thirteen. Visitors today see the site’s layout marked out on the ground, with traces of the colonnade and hypocausts still visible. The mosaics’ copies lie in a nearby museum, showing the original designs. The surrounding fields stretch towards Stowey Hill, giving a sense of the villa’s once grand setting.