In the last two years the Archaeology Service staff have been involved in a really exciting project just outside Chippenham. About five years ago, the remains of a small Roman building came to light, located in a hidden valley near Castle Combe. 

Below  is the plan of Truckle Hill Roman bath house: the three phases of construction as discovered in 2007.

The building turned out to be a bath house, associated with a substantial Roman villa located about 50 metres away. In the autumn of 2007 and 2008, the Archaeology Service staff, together with colleagues and Wessex Archaeology and English Heritage established a community project aiming to excavate and better understand the building and its landscape context.

  Standing walls of the building before excavation in 2007

Working with over 50 volunteers, the complete floor plan of the bath house building was revealed in the 2007 season, indicating that there were three main phases of construction and use. The 2008 season was supposed to tie up loose ends, but managed to discover a whole new phase in the site's history! The footprint of an earlier Roman build was revealed, complete with some surviving Roman wall plaster.

  Intact Roman wall plaster of the earliest building, revealed in 2008

The later bathhouse was built partially within the footprint of the earlier building. We are currently trying to raise funds to allow a further season of excavation in September 2009. We can't wait to see what comes to light this year! Watch this space for more to come from Truckle Hill.