History

Bignor roman villa was discovered in 1811 by George Tupper, a local farmer who was ploughing his fields. On subsequent excavation it was discovered that Bignor was the site of an extensive 3rd century roman villa. The villa courtyard originally enclosed an area of 4½ acres, with around 2,000 acres being farmed. At its peak, Bignor had a flock of 200 sheep and over 50 cattle. 12 teams of Oxen plowed 700-800 acres for cereals.

To the current day visitor, the site of the Bignor villa appears somewhat isolated, nestled as it is behind the South Downs. However, Bignor is located very close to the Roman road of Stane Street. This was the main route between Londinium (London) and Noviomagus Reginorum (Chichester). Bignor was also only 5 miles from the thriving Roman center at Pulborough.

While there are no above ground structures remaining from the Roman period, there are a number of beautifully preserved mosaics, a bath and a hypocaust or underfloor heating system.