Wanstead Roman Villa was a Roman villa on an unknown site in what is now Wanstead Park, in London, England (historically in Essex). Archaeological excavations carried out in 1985 indicated a Roman presence here from the 1st to the 5th century AD, but did not locate any specific site of a Roman villa.
A mosaic discovered in 1715 by gardener Adam HoltFor Adam Holt, see F. Cowell, "Adam Holt (1691? - 1750: his work at Coopsale House, Essex", Garden History, 1998 was described as:
Historical context of the Roman antiquities at Wanstead
The local British tribes of (what became) Essex before the Claudian Roman invasion of 43 CE were the Trinobantes and the Catuvellauni; the Catuvellauni were the largest tribe in Britain and the more dominant in the area of Wanstead at the time of the Claudian invasion, with their capital at Colchester.
In early June 43 CE, a Roman force of 45,000 (four 5,000-man Legions and 25,000 auxiliaries) led in part by the future Emperor Vespasian had met an army of 150,000 Britons, under the Catuvellauni kings Caratacus and his brother Togodumnus, on the River Medway, Kent, as recorded by Cassius Dio. The Britons were defeated in a two-day battle, and then again shortly afterwards on the ThamesThames. Togodumnus was killed and Caratacus withdrew to continue resistance elsewhere in Britain.
Having crossed the Thames, the Romans established a fort at Camulodunum (Colchester) which became connected to Londinium (London) by the Roman road running south of Wanstead, immediately south passing through Forest Gate, on through Ilford and Romford (Roman Durolitum at Gallows Corner), to Chelmsford and Colchester - Roman Road 3 (RR3).
Suetonius, writing around 120 CE, recorded a prominent role played by one commander, Titus Flavius Vespasianus (later the emperor Vespasian), with Legio II Augusta. As one of the four conquering legions, Vespasian's troops may have constructed all or part of the Roman road to Camulodunum.
Roman roads through east London and Essex
A series of roads developed out from Londinium between the years 43 and 68, with RR3 leaving the eastern corner of the capital through the Roman gate at Aldgate (known as the Old Gate to the later Saxons), then following the line of what is now Whitechapel Road through to Camulodunum (Colchester) and Venta Icenorum (Norwich), being recorded by the Romans as both Iter V and Iter IX in the Antonine Itinerary.
Further Roman road construction was undertaken by the Roman legions, and a Roman road was constructed from Old Ford (at Bow-Stratford) through Wanstead and on to Chigwell (Roman name unknown), also built by Roman legionaries. The road connected London to Great Dunmow and at its northernmost point forms a connection between two Roman roads (RR30 & RR32), with RR32 running west from Camulodunum to Braughing (Roman name unknown - near Ware, Hertfordshire) and facilitating access to central southern Britain from Camulodonum to support military activity and later trade.
Evidence for a Roman road at Wanstead
An ancient Roman agger—evidence of the course of a Roman road—can be seen in the woods at the junction of Blake Hall Road and Bush Road adjacent to the estate boundary of Wanstead House (marked by the gates to the estate which still stand at this busy traffic junction). This agger aligns with RR30 and may present evidence of a Roman road running from the ancient Roman crossing at Old Ford to Great Dunmow, passing along this ancient Roman agger at Wanstead on its route, having its exit from Londinium at Aldgate.
Ivan Margary
The classification of Roman roads in Britain was created by Ivan Margary, an antiquarian philanthropist who numbered the roads to better enable their study. The Roman road from London to Great Dunmow (through Roman Wanstead and via Roman Chigwell) was numbered RR30 by Margary, signifying a relatively minor road with the Roman settlement at Leyton to the west, Roman Wanstead to the east and Roman Chigwell (Roman name unknown) developing along the RR30 itself. Single digit numbers, e.g. RR3 indicate that this was a major Roman road in Margary’s classification, whilst RR30 running through Wanstead to Roman Chigwell and Great Dunmow was of less importance.
Evidence for Roman settlement at Wanstead
Adam Holt (19 September 1689 - 29 August 1750 buried at Wanstead 31 Aug 1750 (Married Elizabeth Davis 11 Jun 1726 St Botolph Aldgate)[England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975, Indexing Project Batch Number: I01200-7, GS Film number: 817383, Reference ID: P145] Will[National Archives' reference PROB 11/782/114](dated 01 04 1743) proved Sep 1750.)
The first mention of Roman antiquities at Wanstead credits the ‘Gardiner’ Adam Holt with their discovery. Adam Holt was, however, much more than a gardener. A surveyor, nurseryman, plantsman (& painter), canal engineer and drainage contractor, Holt became a leading specialist in the development of the Auricula (primula) and undertook major and comprehensive works in London and Essex, which included experience in the discovery of ancient antiquities.
Holt was born at St Botolph’s in 1689 and signed his last will at testament at Wanstead on 01 April 1743, prior to his death in 1750, his will being proved on September 1750. He was survived by his wife Elizabeth Holt (nee Davis) and was able to leave provision in his will for his wife along with kinsmen: William Baines Adam Holt and Charles Holt.
Adam Holt worked on the gardens at Fulham Palace for George London (1640 - 12 January 1714) who himself may have been influenced indirectly by the Versailles landscape gardener André Le Nôtre, on commissions for the Bishop of London Henry Compton. Apothecary James Petiver references Mr Holt in his work Gazophylacii naturae & artis decades (1702 - 1706)Gazophylacii naturae & artis decades: 'Table 72, figure 3. Rhamnus Capensis fol. comâ confertis, fl. purpureo. These Leaves grow in Tassels, short and thick, its Flowers purple, each Branch ends in a Thorn; figure 4. Eadem Fl. obsoleto. This differs from the last in having a dull coloured Flower. Both these Mr. Holt the Bishop of London's Gardener gave me the Paintings of, which he made from Plants growing in my Lord's Garden'; from this it seems Mr Holt's work in some way supported Petiver's apothecary practice "at the sign of the white cross" on Aldersgate, which in turn supplied St Bartholomew's Hospital.
Holt also worked at several notable Essex houses on garden landscaping, canalisation and large-scale drainage projects, including those at Wanstead House as plans for lakes and ponds during the previous Stuart period (1603 – 1714) included long avenues of trees, statues, formal watercourses, mounts and a wilderness, together with new species of plants. These commissions included the garden and watercourses at Coopersale House at Epping.
Holt was working at the beginning of the Georgian era, and was continuing the Stuart tradition with his large scale avenue style tree-planting which directly facilitated his discoveries of ancient Roman and other finds in the grounds of Wanstead House.
Adam Holt also held a nursery at Grove Green, Leytonstone, roughly a mile south of the Roman settlement at Leyton, where Roman remains were also discovered through landscaping and tree-planting activity linked to a major house, the Leyton Manor Hall.
The discovery of the Roman antiquities and buildings at Leyton in 1718 shortly followed Holt’s discoveries at Wanstead House and both were revisited by Aldersbrook antiquarian Smart Lethieullier in 1735, through his letters to the Antiquarian Society. It is tempting to speculate that Adam Holt the ‘Gardiner’ may have also been involved in those discoveries of further extensive ancient Roman antiquities at Leyton, in addition to his discoveries of Roman buildings, burials, coins and artefacts in the grounds of Wanstead House and elsewhere.
By the time of his death in 1760 Adam Holt was living at Wanstead and owned property and derived rents from his holdings at the Green Man, close to the ‘Leyton stone’, which is still standing where the road from the Green Man roundabout divides between Hollybush Hill and New Wanstead. The base, an original Roman milestone, indicating distance to and from Londinium in miles, and similar to the extant Havering milestone on the London Road in Chadwell Heath.
The Antiquarians and Roman Wanstead
Smart Lethieullier - Antiquarian (03 November 1701 – 27 August 1760).
Smart Lethieullier’s first letter on the Roman antiquities at Wanstead Mr. LETHIEULLIER to Mr. GALE, giving an Account of a Roman Pavement at Wansted Park in Essex. July 12, 1735
SIR,
Though my attendance in the country at this season of the year will not permit me to be present at the weekly meetings of the Society at the Mitre, yet I shall have the greatest respect for it, and be glad on all occasions to do what lies within the compass of my poor abilities, either to promote the end of its institution, or entertain the gentlemen who compose it.
As I remember, there is only a slight memorandum in the great drawing book relating to a Roman pavement discovered about twenty years ago in Sir Richard Child's (now earl Tylney's) park at Wansted in Essex; as the whole is now obliterated, and the face of the ground so much changed, that a curious enquirer must ask, Ubi Troja fuit? I hope the following account of it will not be thought an intrusion upon your time.
The occasion of this discovery was the digging holes for an avenue of trees from the gardens. Mr. Adam Holt, the gardener, perceiving several of the tesserae thrown up, soon conjectured what he was upon, and earnestly endeavoured, though in vain, to obtain leave to lay it quite open: however he examined it so far as to find that its extent from north to south was about twenty feet, and from east to west about sixteen; that it was composed of small square brick tesserae of different sizes and colours, as black, white, red, &c. of all which I have specimens
That there was a border about a foot broad went round it, composed of red dice, about of an inch square, within which were several ornaments, and in the middle the figure of a man riding upon some beast, and holding something in his hand; but as he opened it only in a hurry, and in different places, he was able to give no better account of it. There was then found a silver coin, but of what Emperor I have not been able to learn, and one of the small brass of Valens,
DN VALENS PF AVG Reverse, SECRITAS REIPVB Exergue, LVG. P.
now in my possession, which are all the coins or other antiquities that were ever found at this place, at least to my knowledge. I have frequently visited it (once I think with you, when you favoured me with your company at Aldersbrook) and have found not only many of the aforesaid tesserae, but several pieces of large Roman brick, some hollowed, probably for gutters.
This pavement was situated on a gentle gravelly ascent towards the north, and at a small distance from the south end of it I remember a well of exceeding fine water, now absorbed in a great pond: from this well the ground rises likewise toward the south till it comes to a plain, which extends a considerable way, and is now my warren, but by tradition was once covered with wood.
On the brink of this very plain, and about 300 yards due south from the said well and pavement, there were in my memory the ruins of foundations to be feen, though now destroyed by planting trees round the park pales; the mounds about them having been since levelled, has raised the ground very much.
The place where this antiquity was discovered is a part, as I said before, of Earl Tylney's park, which lies on the south side of his gardens, and is bounded to the south by my estate at Aldersbrook, a part of which it was, till King Henry VIII inclosed it within his new-made park, as the words in his grant to my predecessors express.