insideKENT Magazine Issue 51 - June 2016 | Page 107
© English Heritage
DAYSOUT
Lullingstone Roman Villa
Kent has always been an important place for a number of reasons – trade, transport, produce,
location – and no one knew that as well as the Romans who navigated to our bountiful county in
their thousands. The first Roman invasion of Britain landed at Deal in 55BC and the Romans must
have fallen in love with our special coast then, as the very first Roman town to be built in Britain
(dating back to AD43) was discovered beneath Richborough, near Sandwich. Richborough was,
at that time, located on the coast, even though today it is several miles inland. BY LISAMARIE LAMB
One such inland settlement was
Lullingstone, hear Eynsford in West
Kent. The reason we know that this
was a popular place for the Romans
to live, work and enjoy themselves
as only Romans could is due to the
fascinating, unique and ultimately
incredibly important Roman villa that
was discovered there. Lullingstone
Roman Villa is now part of English
Heritage and visiting it is a great allweather experience for the whole
family.
The villa is believed to have been
started in around AD100, but what
began as a simple (although
eminently comfortable) house in the
lush surroundings of the Darent
Valley, grew to become one of the
most luxurious Roman residences
in all of Britain by the middle of the
4th century. Today, Lullingstone
Roman Villa is recognised as being
one of the best preserved such
building in the UK.
Lullingstone Roman Villa is tucked
away down a pretty one-track
country lane and, once you emerge
at the end, there isn’t initially a huge
amount to see – there is one building
and no Roman villa in sight. But a
little further investigation is all that
is needed, and soon all becomes
clear. The villa, we learn, is beneath
the current level of the ground, and
the modern structure that we see
when we arrive actually houses not
only the ancient Roman house, but
a fantastic, interactive museum and
shop too.
Entering the villa is a surreal
experience; from the light, bright,
up-to-date visitor centre we found
ourselves in a dark, almost eerie,
beautifully lit Roman villa. Or rather,
we were at the edge of it. A walkway
extends around three of the four
walls of the villa and it is possible
to see it from every angle, looking
down onto what once was a rich
Roman family’s home. The lives that
were lived there are almost
touchable; history has never been
closer.
107
© English Heritage
As the years passed and Britain
became more and more prosperous
(thanks to the Romans themselves,
of course, even if their invasion
wasn’t an entirely friendly one),
settlements began to make their
way away from the coa