Eastbourne Roman Villa

This book brings together historical records, archaeological evidence and new research on Eastbourne’s lost Roman villa. Reassessing its size, chronology and significance, it reveals a far grander complex than previously thought while documenting its discovery, destruction and surviving artefacts.

This book brings together all the evidence and recent research concerning Eastbourne’s lost Roman villa. In 1973 Eastbourne Natural History and Archaeology Society published a booklet, edited by local historians Lawrence Stevens and Richard Gilbert, on the lost villa. This comprehensive collection of observations, academic papers, diagrams and images is included in this new book together with W. H. Brookes’ original water-coloured drawings, reproduced in colour for the first time. Sadly, the development of Eastbourne seafront in the 19th century, while revealing the existence of the villa, also caused its destruction, with the site plundered. Parts had already been washed away by the sea. Some artefacts were sold to the Royal Museum of Ontario, Canada, and many were destroyed when the town’s museum, housed in the basement of Eastbourne Institute in Grove Road was bombed in 1943. The 1973 edition is enriched by new and extensive research by David Rudling. While researching flue tile design and potteries in the southeast of the country David discovered exciting new dating information, and his conclusions are presented here. As a result of his investigations we now know that the villa was far bigger and grander than previously assumed. We also have dates for its construction and demise. Helen Warren’s painting, an arti st’s impression, gives an idea of what it may have looked like with its many rooms, pleasure gardens and sea views.

Foreword

Eastbourne Roman Villa, 1973 Edition

Foreword to the 1973 edition

Acknowledgments

Eastbourne Roman Villa – By Thomas Sutton, FSA

Piece of patterned ‘double-box’ flue-tile from Eastbourne – By W. G. Lowther, FSA

Supplement – By Richard Gilbert and Lawrence Stevens

Budgen’s Map of 1724

The Round House

Brooke’s Drawing

Contemporary Report, 1878

Tabor’s “Triangle”

Burrell Was There

Sea houses, East Bourne

The Brooke Sketches

New Contributions for the 2026 Edition

Finds in the Collection of the Royal Ontario Museum

Fragmentary double-box flue tile (Figure 18)

Double-box flue tile (Figure 19)

Figure of a male athlete, or possibly Hercules, holding an apple (Figure 20)

Eastbourne Roman Villa in Context – by Dr David Rudling FSA, MCIfA

Introduction

Dating Evidence

The Sussex ‘Early Villas’

Finds from Eastbourne Villa

The Eastbourne Villa Flue-tiles

The Eastbourne Villa Mosaics and Tesserae

Addendum – By Dr David Rudling FSA, MCIfA

• Edited by Helen Warren
• Contributions by David Rudling