Gatcombe, Somerset facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gatcombe |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Location | Long Ashton, Somerset, England |
| Official name: Gatcombe Settlement | |
| Designated | 1995 |
| Reference no. | 197955 |
|
Listed Building – Grade II*
|
|
| Official name: Gatcombe Court | |
| Designated | 16 March 1984 |
| Reference no. | 33492 |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
Gatcombe is a special place in Long Ashton, Somerset, England. It's home to a historic building called Gatcombe Court. This building stands on the very spot where a Roman settlement once thrived!
Gatcombe is located near the Land Yeo river, the A370 road, and the Bristol to Exeter railway line.
Contents
Discovering the Roman Settlement
The first signs of Roman life at Gatcombe were found in 1839. Workers were digging a railway cutting when they discovered ancient remains. Later, in the 1960s, archaeologists did more digging, called excavations. They found that people lived here from the middle of the 1st century AD until at least the 5th century AD.
What Did They Find?
Archaeologists found coins from Roman emperors like Theodosius, Magnus Maximus, and Arcadius. These coins helped them figure out how long the settlement was active.
The full size of the Roman settlement isn't completely clear. It might have been a small village or even a town, not just a single Roman villa. Some people think Gatcombe might be the ancient Roman town of Iscalis, which was mentioned by a geographer named Ptolemy. However, others believe Iscalis might have been at Charterhouse Roman Town.
Inside the Roman Settlement
The Roman site had a strong wall around it, about 15 feet (4.5 meters) wide. This wall enclosed an area of about 16 acres (6.5 hectares). Part of the wall is now hidden near the railway line. Diggers also found a deep well, about 60 feet (18 meters) deep!
Within the walled area, archaeologists found at least nineteen buildings that were likely used for farming. One special building at the southern end had a colonnade (a row of columns) and a beautiful mosaic floor. This suggests it was a large and important Roman villa.
In 2009 and 2010, a special survey using a magnetometer helped find more possible buildings outside the main walled area. This shows the Roman settlement was quite spread out. A Roman road also connected Gatcombe to a nearby place called Abbots Leigh.
Gatcombe Court: A Historic Home
Gatcombe Court, the main building today, was built in the late 14th century. It started as a "solar" (a private living room) built by John de Gatcombe before 1254. The house was changed and updated in the late 17th century and again in the 20th century. It's a two-story house with tiled roofs and attics tucked into two steep gables.
Gardens and Mills
The garden at Gatcombe Court has a very old yew hedge, which is thought to be 400 years old! There's also a newer Roman herb garden, designed by a famous gardener named Jekka McVicar.
Near the house, there's an old mill by the Land Yeo river. Records show a "snuff mill" (for grinding tobacco) was here in 1769. The current mill building was built in the early 1800s. By 1846, it was used to grind mustard, annatto (a food coloring), and medicines. Later, by 1874, it became a flour mill. The old machinery is still inside! This mill is also a listed building, meaning it's protected for its historical importance.
Gatcombe Court was once the family home of Osbert Mordaunt, a famous Somerset Cricketer. Later, it belonged to the family of Charles Clarke, from a law firm in Bristol. Today, Stella Clarke lives there.
Another farmhouse was built on the site in the 17th century and was later changed in the 1800s.
Images for kids
-
Gatcombe Court, a historic building on the site of a Roman settlement.
