Episode Overview
Filmed between August 2 and 4, 1996, this episode follows the search for a Roman villa first partially unearthed 90 years earlier by William Hawley. A section of the site, previously an army barracks, is encased in concrete, which helps preserve what lies beneath but complicates the efforts of the excavation and geophysics teams since the exact location of the villa remains unclear. Joining the group are Duncan Coe, the county archaeologist, Roman architecture expert Mark Corney, and Lindsay Allason Jones, who specializes in Roman artifacts. On the second day, Lindsay oversees a Roman-style outdoor feast. By the third day, they reveal the basic outline of a significant, high-status structure featuring mosaic floors and central heating, but their time ultimately runs out.