Excavations at Fishbourne, 1961. First Interim Report

Abstract

For many years ever-increasing reports of Roman buildings and other finds from the neighbourhood of the village of New Fishbourne, one mile west of Chichester, have indicated the existence of an extensive early Roman settlement in the area (fig. 1). Early in 1960, during the construction of a water main across fields to the north of the main Chichester-Portsmouth road, a trench was cut through a Roman building which was found to incorporate massive masonry blocks and a mosaic floor. The pottery from the trench was predominantly first century. Accordingly, the Chichester Civic Society arranged a three-week trial excavation at Easter 1961, on the results of which further excavations were undertaken during the period 22nd July to 31st August. The work was made possible by generous grants from the Chichester Corporation, the Ministry of Works, the Society of Antiquaries, the Haverfield Trustees, the Marc Fitch Fund, the Sussex Archaeological Society, and by the public's response to the appeal. Nine students, mainly from Cambridge and Oxford, were employed throughout the excavations.