Bignor Roman Villa
A Roman villa site on a farm at the foot of the South Downs, with fine mosaics including Venus and a cupid dressed as a gladiator.
The site was discovered in 1811 when a farmer was ploughing his field. It is one of the largest Roman courtyard villas in Britain, probably occupied around the 3rd and 4th centuries AD. A 19th-century thatched shelter still protects the site, housing several well-preserved mosaic floors, including Medusa, Venus and a cupid dressed as a gladiator, as well as remains of an underfloor heating system. The site has been run by the same family ever since. Tickets cost about £10, and it is closed in winter. It lies about 16 km northeast of Chichester with no bus service, so a car is needed.
Opening hours
March–October 10:00–17:00 (check website)
Nearby sights
- Petworth House and Park
- Tangmere Military Aviation Museum
- Goodwood Racecourse
- Goodwood House
- The Trundle (St Roche's Hill)
- Weald and Downland Living Museum
- Goodwood Motor Circuit
- West Dean Gardens