The Watling street enters the county in the south-east corner,
it is near here it crosses the Ryknield street, just west of this crossroads is
the roadside settlement of Wall (Letocetvm). The Watling street continues for
20km then passes to the fort site and settlement of Pennocrvcivm, from here the
Watling street continues to the west into Shropshire, and a road branches north
westward to Whitchurch and Chester. Just 500m south of the settlement at
Pennocrvcivm is the Engleton villa, excavated in the 1930s, of which nothing
survives. In the north west of the county near Market Drayton, is the Hayles
villa.
In 1979 field studies were carried out in the village of Acton
Trussell some 5km south of the county town of Stafford, and 8km from
Pennocrvcivm. 
The
studies initially prompted by the geographically detached church of St James
(see photo), and the possibility of finding evidence of a shifted village,
however during field walking a quantity of Romano-British pottery sherds, and
two coins, were recovered. The next 4 years were spent trying to locate the
source of this material, private flights over the area, and more field walking
produced nothing. In 1985, the field to the south, away from the village, was
ploughed, field walking not only recovered pottery sherds but also fragments of
building materials, it was clear the source was close by, and the church became
the center of interest. In May 1985 the semi hexagonal wing of a Roman villa was
discovered. the wing protruded from the east side of the churchyard. The
excavation has continued and is concentrating on the enclosures and their
contents.
Photo: click to enlarge
The village is top right, the manor house site of the Trussells
is top center to left of village, with the church and villa site lower center,
