Crofton Roman Villa
Encyclopedia
Crofton Roman Villa in Orpington
, in the London Borough of Bromley
, is a Roman villa
which was inhabited between approximately 140 and 400 AD. It was the centre of a farming estate of about 500 acres (2 km²), with farm buildings nearby, surrounded by fields, meadows and woods. The house was altered several times during its 260 years of occupation, and at its largest it probably had at least 20 rooms.
The remains of ten rooms can be seen today. Two rooms contain the remains of "opus signinum
" floors, and three have evidence of tiled, or "tessellated", floors. Details of an underfloor central heating hypocaust
can also be seen, featuring both channelled and pillared systems, as can small finds from the site.
The villa is adjacent to Orpington railway station
, and is not far from Lullingstone Roman Villa
, near Eynsford
, Kent
.
Orpington
Orpington is a suburban town and electoral ward in the London Borough of Bromley. It forms the southeastern edge of London's urban sprawl and is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
, in the London Borough of Bromley
London Borough of Bromley
The London Borough of Bromley is a London borough of south east London, England and forms part of Outer London. The principal town in the borough is Bromley.-Geography:...
, is a Roman villa
Roman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
which was inhabited between approximately 140 and 400 AD. It was the centre of a farming estate of about 500 acres (2 km²), with farm buildings nearby, surrounded by fields, meadows and woods. The house was altered several times during its 260 years of occupation, and at its largest it probably had at least 20 rooms.
The remains of ten rooms can be seen today. Two rooms contain the remains of "opus signinum
Opus signinum
Opus signinum is a building material occasionally used in ancient Rome. It is made of tiles broken up into very small pieces, mixed with mortar, and then beaten down with a rammer...
" floors, and three have evidence of tiled, or "tessellated", floors. Details of an underfloor central heating hypocaust
Hypocaust
A hypocaust was an ancient Roman system of underfloor heating, used to heat houses with hot air. The word derives from the Ancient Greek hypo meaning "under" and caust-, meaning "burnt"...
can also be seen, featuring both channelled and pillared systems, as can small finds from the site.
The villa is adjacent to Orpington railway station
Orpington railway station
Orpington railway station serves the town of Orpington in the London Borough of Bromley, and is in Travelcard Zone 6. Located in Crofton Road, the station is a 500m west of the southern end of Orpington High Street....
, and is not far from Lullingstone Roman Villa
Lullingstone Roman villa
Lullingstone Roman Villa is a villa built during the Roman occupation of Britain, situated near the village of Eynsford in Kent, south eastern England....
, near Eynsford
Eynsford
Eynsford is a village and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, England. It is located on the River Darent, south of Dartford in Kent.-The village:...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
.