Roman Villa and Temple

Custom Scrubs, Bisley, Stroud, Gloucestershire

NGRef: SU7223 OSMap: LR197 Type: Villa, Temple.
Roads
See Gloucester

The Probable Roman Temple at Custom Scrubs

Plaque of Local Genius (RIB 131; GLRCM A.2731)	Plaque of Romulus (RIB 132; GLRCM A.2732)
(Pictures Courtesy of Gloucester City Museum)

Two votive tablets were found during quarrying at Bisley in either 1799 or 1801. The first was of a local guardian spirit, the genius loci, which was said to have borne an inscription dedicated to Mars Olludius (RIB 131; GLRCM A.2731). The other tablet, carved of the same Bath Stone, was of Romulus in the guise of Mars (his father), inscribed on the rear: DEO ROM[V]LO GVLIOEPIVS DONAVIT IVVENTINVS FECIT or "For the god Romulus, Gulioepius has offered this, Juventinus has made it." (RIB 132; GLRCM A.2732). Both of these stones are shown above and may be viewed at the Gloucester City Museum.

The Bisley villa itself is of the large 'courtyard' type, along the same lines as villa's at Spoonly Wood and Tockington Park.

For more on Roman Gloucester see Colonia Nervia Glevensis

See: The Roman Villa - An Historical Introduction by John Percival (B.C.A., London, 1976) p.101;
The Roman Inscriptions of Britain by R.G. Collingwood and R.P. Wright (Oxford 1965);
All English translations, including any inherent mistakes, are my own.

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