Historical Places of Interest in England ~ Roman Bignor

Roman Bignor

Bignor is a small Sussex village with a tangible Roman connection. With its narrow roads, neatly thatched houses and imposing old church it epitomises the picture postcard English village. Its neat flower gardens and well tended lawns contrast vividly with the crooked wooden beamed houses that line its narrow lanes. It affords glimpses in time and it is not difficult to imagine how it must have been before the age of the motorcar when trips to the closest large towns of Pulborough or Chichester would have been major expeditions. In Roman times it would have been at least half a day's march and maybe more.

As pretty as it is now, Bignor has a much older history. In fact its rich farmlands no doubt hide mysteries yet to be uncovered. We can already go back in time to the first century AD thanks to the discovery in July 1811 of a large stone which George Tupper hit while ploughing his fields. This stone (a large piscina or fountain) proved to be only the beginning. The leading antiquarian of the day, Samuel Lysons, was called from London and under his direction the full extent of the discoveries became known. Priceless mosaics such as the Gannymede and Medusa were uncovered, as well as many others.

Tourists began to flock to the area and the first guide book was published in 1815. Excavations continued and revealed extensive foundations which indicated that this must have been a substantial and imposing Roman villa surrounded by neat boundary walls. Gardens were tended within the walls and trading was no doubt carried out with Chichester (Noviomagus) by way of "Stane Street" built by the Romans straight over the slopes of Bignor Hill. Building a road over such a steep hill was no mean feat itself. Using it when laden down with goods must have been equally difficult. Even today the location of the Roman Villa site is impressive.

From the Roman Villa site the thickly wooded Bignor Hill rises steeply in front of you. It is a dark brooding presence from the ground. No doubt it would have been a somewhat daunting journey in the third century AD when travelling between Bignor and Chichester.

The Medusa's head is still so fresh and clear that it could have been constructed recently. If you did not know better, the coloured tessarae pieces could have been laid a few days before. She stares out at us from a long distant past. The hands that so carefully made her are long gone but the ancient mythology she represents reminds us of tales still handed down to today's generations. Much the same can be said for the other stunning mosaics. Venus and the Gladiators depicts gladiatorial winged cupids in combat and the enigmatic face of Venus herself. Her eyes are said to follow you around the room and if you test this theory you will definitely get the feeling that someone is watching you. No one is sure if this inscrutable face is really that of a Goddess or whether she depicts a mere mortal. It is a mystery that may never be solved. The hypocaust (underfloor heating system) is clearly seen here and reminds us that we have much to thank the Romans for. This under floor heating system worked so well that people inside the house had to wear sandals to prevent their feet from being burned.

The Bignor Roman Villa must once have been a very stunning sight as travellers passed by on their journeys along Stane Street and on to Noviomagus. It is intriguing to think that we know so little of what is actually beneath these fields. Much of what was excavated was reburied in order to preserve it but some of the area has never been excavated and maybe never will be.