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The Site
Discovery
The Finds
Records and Archive
Latest Research
Dr. Arthur Rowe
The site
The earliest Roman building to be scientifcally explored was the building now known as Tivoli Villa, found in the former ornamental Tivoli gardens near Margate. The building was located on the western side of long valley running from the chalk plateau in the centre of the island to the coast at Margate Bay.
This building was explored in 1924 by Dr. Arthur Rowe, one of Thanet's pioneers in scientific archaeology. A careful reading of his notes reveals that the building was a successor to a very dense settlement of mid to late Iron Age date. This was an important community where among other activities pottery production took place.
Many of the finds from Rowe's excavations have been dispersed and no plan remains of the building. Some of the Iron Age and Roman finds are still held by Margate Museum, the British Museum and the Trust for Thanet Archaeology.
Even the precise location of the building is not clear but it is believed to be close to the Tennis courts that were built over the valley, filled in when the railway to Margate was built.
Although Rowe left some notes and a lengthy description of the excavations in a local newspaper report, these are far from adequate to understand the size and function of the Tivoli Villa.
The Isle of Thanet Archaeological
Society are currently reviewing
the
Tivoli Villa archives and carrying out some field work to explore the
building further. This important part of Thanet's past
deserves to be
better known and better understood.
Version 1 - 13.03.07
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