42. A large hall between the courts, 84 ft. 2 in. long by 11 ft. 1 in. wide. The walls were constructed of flint 3 ft. thick, with an inner facing of tiles, 11 in. wide, laid in courses, making a total thickness of 3 ft. 11 in. One end of the chamber was excavated to a depth of 3 ft., when it was ascertained that the inner face was composed of seventeen courses of tiles. A further trench was subsequently made round the whole of the interior, shewing that the tiles existed throughout. While this work was in progress some fragments of wall plaster were found, more richly decorated than any hitherto met with. The patch shewn on the Plan at the northern end of the chamber represents almost the only portion of the floor discovered; it is 4 in. thick, of yellow concrete, and upon the same level as the pavement of the great corridor. In digging the interior trench at the north-east corner we found the minute bronze head of a lioness. This must have formed part of a fountain or water-jet as there is a hole through the head coming out at the mouth. In the trench outside the west wall we met with a large brass coin of Hadrian, one of Antoninus Pius, and a few fragments of glass vessels. The southern end of this remarkable chamber terminated in 43. A semi-circular cistern, 1 ft. 4 in. deep, 4 ft. 8 in. wide in the centre, the southern wall being 9 ft. 5 in. long. From the appearance of the interior of the tank there can be no doubt that it was originally lined with lead, which had been torn out by ancient despoilers. At the east corner was a gutter, 9 in. wide and 3 ft. 9 in. long, leading into it, paved with tiles, while in the opposite corner was an outlet which bore traces of having been purposely broken away to get at the drain pipe, which was probably of lead. On referring to Plate I the construction of the cistern will be clearly understood. The curved wall was 2 ft. 4 in. thick, while the straight one in front of it was 3 ft. 8 in. thick, and built of flint. This massive piece of wall extended for a distance of 30 ft. 4 in., and the walls of the courts were built against it on either side. In front of it were the bases of two piers or buttresses of equally solid masonry. These were not added after the short wall was built as they were incorporated with it. We now proceed to describe SECTION E. Reference to the Plan will shew the relation of this westernmost block to the rest of the villa, its peculiar position being due to the close proximity of the River Darenth, which flows 62 ft. from the outer wall. Roughly speaking this Section may be described as a series VOL. XXII, F of tanks and floorless chambers with gutters passing through them, with workshops adjoining. 45. A chamber, 21 ft. by 9 ft. 7 in., the south-west corner destroyed. Several bushels of red tessera were found in it, which had probably been made on the spot. 46. Entrance to the stokehole of hot bath (see No. 38). 47. A chamber, 37 ft. 6 in. by 9 ft. 4 in., the west wall much broken away. 48. A chamber, 22 ft. 8 in. by 8 ft. 8 in., with entrance through south wall. 49. Central chamber of the block, 32 ft. long. In it quite a cart-load of clay was met with, evidently stored here for use in repairing the hypocausts. In all the hypocausts we found that the large tiles covering the pile had been bedded upon similar clay instead of mortar, and the joints between them had also been stopped with clay. In front of the stokehole a quantity of burnt material was accumulated which had been thrown out into this chamber from the furnace near at hand. In the east corner a quantity of pounded tile was stored for use in mixing with cement. 49 B. Chamber, 28 ft. by 10 ft. 50. Chamber, 34 ft. 6 in. by 10 ft. 51. A chamber, 22 ft. 8 in. by 5 ft. 3 in. At the bottom was an admirably constructed gutter (Plate J) 9 in. deep. Its sides were of flint and 10 in. apart, with tiles laid between them, overlapping each other throughout the entire length of the gutter. The Plan shows the gutter entering from a covered conduit in No. 54, and passing through Nos 51 and 52, under an arch in the west wall of the latter, towards the river. The drain had originally been sealed with tiles, four of which remained in situ. 39. A chamber, 13 ft. 10 in. by 6 ft. 5 in. In the south wall was an opening 1 ft. 3 in. wide, faced with tiles laid in courses on each side. For what purpose it was intended was not apparent. In the west wall was a gutter arch. 63. A chamber, 14ft 5in. by 9ft. 11 in. In the south-west corner was the entrance. In the west wall a gatter arch existed, but the gutter under it had been removed. This rain passed through No. 38, under a second arch in the west w/ that chamber in the direction of the riven |