Large Roman Structure Uncovered in England

KENT, ENGLAND—Kent Online reports that traces of a 150-foot-long, 50-foot-wide Roman agricultural building in use for about 400 years have been uncovered in southeastern England. “It was divided into zones of activity, so the west end was a bathhouse with furnace, and then as you moved to the east it turned more into the agricultural activity,” said Paul Wilkinson of the Kent Archaeological Field School. The structure had stone walls, and polished terracotta floors with underfloor heating. Hot air was directed up through box flue tiles in the interior walls, which were covered with painted plaster. The roof was also covered with ceramic tiles. The building was extended by about 50 feet in the fifth century, possibly to make room for a Christian altar, Wilkinson said. To read in-depth about a grand estate in Kent, go to “The Many Lives of an English Manor House.”