History and Research: Lullingstone Roman Villa

The dining room of the villa was decorated in the 4th century with a mosaic depicting the abduction of Europa by Jupiter in the guise of a bull

The Roman villa at Lullingstone represents a remarkable survival, both in terms of the preservation of some structural elements of the main villa-house, but also, and more significantly, with respect to the evidence for Romano-British Christianity that it produced.

Further significance flows from the possible imperial associations of the site and the enigmatic nature of the wider site and the challenges that presents to our interpretation and understanding.

History

Built perhaps as early as AD 80/90, Lullingstone Villa reached the peak of luxury in the mid-4th century when its spectacular mosaics were laid.

History of Lullingstone Villa

Significance

Was Lullingstone Villa the country retreat of the Governor of Britain, or a fully working villa-farm? And did it later function as a house-church, its mosaics coded with Christian images and messages?

Significance of Lullingstone Villa

Research

Here you will find a review of the major studies that have contributed to our growing understanding of Lullingstone Villa.

Research on Lullingstone Roman Villa

About the author

Pete Wilson PhD, FSA, FSA Scot, MIfA, is Head of Research Policy (Roman Archaeology) for English Heritage with extensive experience in the Romano-British period. He is the author of the official English Heritage Red Guide to Lullingstone Roman Villa.

About Portico

Portico is the area of the English Heritage website dedicated to exploring the history and significance of the 400 or so sites in the care of English Heritage.

Buy the guidebook

The Lullingstone Villa guidebook is one of a suite of authoritative and beautifully illustrated guides that help to bring our properties to life with their photographs, plans and reconstruction drawings.

Lullingstone Villa guidebook