Discovered by Mr Munns and Captain Thorp in 1880, Brading Roman Villa is a substantial Romano British house containing a wealth of impressive features that include five mosaic floors.

Built on what is believed to have been a previous Iron Age settlement, Brading Roman Villa would have evolved over several centuries from quite modest beginnings. Construction work commenced in the 2nd century and probably continued at Brading until the early 4th century. Probably starting life as just a single room, the house would have been extended as fortunes allowed. With the addition of several rooms, and then brand new wings, the development that survives today is a building forming three ranges set around a central courtyard.

The main house is situated in the west range with a 'barn house' to the north and what appears to be a workshop and granary range to the south. The Barn House (or aisled building, as it is sometimes referred), comprises several rooms at its western end, at least one of which had under-floor heating by means of a hypocaust. This area would probably have been used as accommodation for junior members of the family, or estate managers. The eastern end appears to have served as a storage facility for farm equipment, carts etc. A small bath suite was also located at this end, which had been built over an earlier well.

The south range contains a large hall, with two smaller adjoining rooms that may have served as workshops. Next to these are the remains of 14 large plinths that almost certainly held the raised floor of a large granary. At the eastern end, in a separate building, there was another bath house.

The three ranges were joined by a perimeter wall to the west to form a central courtyard or garden. The north and south ranges were re-buried after excavation and these are, therefore, only visible as outlines in the grass. The main house to the west is protected by a modern covered building.

Comprising 12 rooms, and containing five beautiful mosaic floors, the occupants of the west range lived in some style and were clearly wealthy. The exact purpose of all the rooms is not known, but the array of stunning mosaics will certainly catch the visitor's eye. Although the figure drawing is not necessarily the finest work to be seen, the peculiarity of the subject matter certainly puts Brading Roman Villa's mosaics in a class of their own. This is especially true of one of the panels within the Bacchus mosaic. Here a cock-headed man stands outside of a raised hut or temple with entrance steps, while two Griffins wait to the right. There is no known parallel to this depiction, and there have been various theories as to the intended meaning of this unique scene.

The main building also houses numerous artefacts of interest that were recovered during excavations, all of which go to making Brading Roman Villa a really fascinating day out.