Following publication of 'The Rise and Decline of Druce Farm Roman Villa (AD60-650)' BAR Brritish Series 676, 2022 Archaeology of Roman Britain Volume 8, Lilian Ladle has kindly agreed to talk to us about this multi-period site. Exacavations were carried out 2012-2018  by East Dorset Antiquarian Society under Lilian's direction.

This long-lived site reveals evidence for prehistoric activity, and Roman occupation from mid-1st century, with the earliest proto-villa found in Dorset. Phases of constructon and demolition highlight a story of villa development and decline.

Lilian Ladle is an independent  archaeologist and a Visiting Fellow in the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, Bournemouth University. She directed excavvations at the multi-period sites of Football Field, Worth Maltravers and Bestwall Quarry, Wareham. She was awarded the MBE for services to archaeology in 2008 and was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 2021.

The Zoom link will be sent a week in advamce to RSG members. If you are a SyAS member you can join RSG for free - just click on the membership tab and follow instructions to join RSG.