The ruins of a vast ancient Roman villa discovered in Britain have been reburied just a year after their discovery was announced. From the report: Historic England, the government’s conservation organisation, hopes the move will protect the “first of its kind” archaeological site for future generations, according to BBC News. Last year’s find pleased experts, who emphasized its historical significance. “These archaeological remains are a fantastic find and far more than we ever dreamed we would find at this site,” Keith Emerick, inspector of ancient sites at Historic England, said in a statement last year. “They already give us a better knowledge and understanding of Roman Britain.”
Archaeologists discovered the ruins in Scarborough, England in 2021 when they were exploring land planned for a housing development. The structures found probably belonged to a “high-status” property, such as a luxury residence or a religious site. The complex, which included a lavish bathhouse, could even have been a “grand gentleman’s clubhouse,” the Guardian’s Alexandra Topping reported last year. About the size of two tennis courts, the villa had a circular center that was likely a tower, according to the BBC, with corridors leading to several rooms and outbuildings. Regardless of how the villa was used, archaeologists agree that it was “designed by the finest northern European architects of the era and built by the finest craftsmen,” Carl Battersby, who works for North Yorkshire County Council, told the Guardian. .
