Roman Palace accidentally discovered

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In 1960, a workman digging a trench for a water main struck Roman remains beneath a field in Fishbourne. The discovery led to a major archaeological excavation directed by Barry Cunliffe, which revealed the largest Roman residential building ever found in Britain. The excavation uncovered mosaic floors, heated rooms, painted plaster, and the plan of a four-wing palace arranged around a formal garden. The discovery transformed understanding of Roman Britain and put Fishbourne on the archaeological map.