This is your chance to come on a 3-mile escorted walk in beautiful Surrey countryside to visit the elusive site of one of Surrey’s most interesting Roman buildings,  Rapsley Roman villa. There are just a few signs of the bathhouse above ground but you can look at plans, see the landscape and imagine the rest. You can also see the site of Wykehurst Farm Roman tile works, the formidable Coneyhurst Gill, learn about the Rowhook to Farley Heath Roman road and have lunch in the Bull’s Head Inn, Ewhurst.

 Programme for Thursday 12 June

 10.30am park (free) in the Bull’s Head Inn car park, Ewhurst. Have coffee and order your lunch.

11.00am  Walk on a level footpath, narrow lanes and, if the sheep have gone, across a grass field to the site of Rapsley Roman villa.

                  Walk back across the field and along a more difficult footpath with some steps to see Coneyhurst Gill and the site of Wykehurst Farm tile works

                  Short walk on a lane to see where it is crossed by the Rowhook to Farley Heath Roman road

                  Walk back on the lane and on a footpath through woods to see more places where the Roman road has been found

                  Walk back through the woods and on the lane to the Bull’s Head Inn.

                  Total distance 3 miles.

1.00pm    Lunch at the Inn

2.15pm    Afternoon:

i.         For those who prefer to leave after lunch, that’s fine

ii.       Go back on the lane and through the woods for a more detailed study of the Roman road and how it might have crossed the Gill, then back to the Inn for tea.

iii.     Or - possible visit by car to another Roman site 7 miles away, still to be confirmed.

 This visit may not suit everyone. The footpaths can be muddy and slippery and field grass can get very wet so suitable footwear is needed. An easier and shorter way back from the villa to the Inn will be available if required.

 Please contact David Calow at  dm.calow@ntlworld.com to book a place.

The following links may be of interest:

 For the Bull’s Head Inn, location map, prices and menu go to: https://bullsheadinn.com/  (control and left click). Menu and prices are under the three bars in the top right hand corner. No need to pre-order or pay a deposit. Order over coffee on the day.

 Details of recent excavations are in vol 106 of the Collections p 217-230. If you want to read more about the sites from previous Collections free downloads are available:

 For R G Goodchild’s article on The Roman Brickworks at Wykehurst Farm from Collections 45 go to:  https://doi.org/10.5284/1068822 and select Download, sixth line down.

For Rosamond Hanworth’s article on the Roman Villa at Rapsley from Collections 65 go to: https://doi.org/10.5284/1068969 and select Download, sixth line down.

For J T Smith’s interpretation of the division of Rapsley Villa into two parts from Collections 72 go to:  https://doi.org/10.5284/1069038  and select Download, sixth line down