History of the Villa House

The Crofton Roman Villa House was occupied from about AD140 to 400 and was the centre of a farming estate of about 500 acres. Nearby would have been farm buildings, surrounded by fields, meadows and woods. At its largest, it probably had at least 20 rooms.

Sometime about AD140-170 (Period I) the site was first developed when the first masonry building was constructed, with flint walls built on chalk foundations. The whole structure appears rectangular, rather unpretentious and covering an area at least 10 x 30m.

Some years later modest alterations took place (Period II) and in about AD200 (Period III), or just after, a major rebuilding programme took place adding a massive new range, at least 8 x 15m. This was attached to the south end of the Period I house including a passage and several new rooms. A further new room was inserted across the west corridor of the original house and it may be that a new east corridor was also added. These major alterations increased the area covered to about 38 x 15m and probably reflects greater prosperity.

Period IV (sometime in the 3rd century) saw only minor alterations, with the projecting south-west room abandoned and a new wall inserted.

Later in the 3rd century another major structural programme was carried out (Period V). The whole northern half of the villa-house seems to have been abandoned. Much of the southern end was rebuilt to create a suite of five heated rooms.

The site continued to be occupied during the 4th century and it is likely that the estate had failed by about AD400.

Discovery

Although part of the Roman villa was destroyed unrecorded by a cutting for the railway in the 19th century, it was only discovered in 1926 by workmen constructing driveways for new council offices.

The full excavation of the site was carried out by the Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit in 1988, when the villa was due to be destroyed by a car park for the extended Civic Hall. This work revealed the surviving extent of the building, identified five major periods of construction, discovered important details and recovered an important collection of finds.

Opening

Bromley Council approved and financed the preservation scheme, whereby the Unit provided the cover building, internal and external services, all the displays and conservation work in 1990-92. Opening to the public in 1992 from April to October, the Villa has welcomed nearly 135,000 visitors to date, from countries throughout the world. The remains of 10 rooms can be seen today now under a modern cover building.
Since 1998, the villa has also operated highly successful school activity workshops.