Much of England's architectural history is in the care of English Heritage, the national body created by Parliament in 1984 charged with the protection of our historic environment and with promoting public understanding and enjoyment of it. The organisation is now responsible for the care of some 400 historic properties as diverse as 3,000 year old Stonehenge and Eltham Palace, that remarkable amalgamation of luxurious early 20th century Art Deco with sumptuous medieval Tudor.
The Isle of Wight, where I now live, is rich in a history that goes back to early post-glacial Stone Age times and there are important archaeological sites constantly being discovered here.
If you were a Celt, the Isle of Wight, (or Vectis as it was then called), must have been an exceedingly pleasant place to live on and prosper during the first 350 years of the last millennium, when Britain was the northernmost outpost of the Roman Empire. Mainland Celts were not always willingly subservient to the Roman yoke and had first to be subdued, and then garrisoned, by Roman Legions before taking to the culture of Rome. Vectis Celts however, knew from the start where their fortunes lay. Taking advantage of the island's soft climate they became exceedingly prosperous farmers, supplying corn and wool to the garrisoning army. For some 300 years the island was the Roman Legionnaire's bread basket and a major supplier of wool.
There are no remains of Roman forts on the Isle of Wight. No garrison was needed to cow these friendly Celts. There are however eight known Roman Villas on the island, (another has recently been identified and awaits excavation), of which that at Brading in the north east of Wight is the most spectacular. The Brading Villa grew over three centuries from simple farmstead to sumptuous Italianate courtyard villa of palatial proportions and grandiosity that evidenced considerable prosperity for the generations of Celts who lived here, farmed this fertile land and exported their produce across the Solent to mainland Britain.
Every year in September English Heritage opens its doors to allow free access to its properties, an admirable way of promoting its work, of which I take full advantage. Thus it was that I recently spent a fascinating day visiting Brading Roman Villa where I admired the remarkable mosaic floors that have been uncovered in the main residence. In England, they are second only in magnificence to those at Fishbourne Palace, the first century south coast residence of Cogidubnus, the fabulously rich Romano-Celtic client king. They rank among the top ten most important Roman mosaics finds in northern Europe.
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