Fishbourne is a village situated about one mile west of Chichester, of which it now forms an outer suburb, for it lies within the city boundary. The main trunk road to Portsmouth passes through it, with detached houses, mostly of Victorian style, on each side, while behind them on the north lay some 14 acres of farm land extending to the Coast Line main railway. Early in 1960 a trunk water-main was carried through these fields by mechanical excavation. Since 1805 Roman material has been known to exist here, and with the assistance of the engineers engaged in the work local archaeologists kept watch. The results were soon dramatic, for huge blocks of masonry were dislodged, together with tesserae, while the pottery found included some of Claudian date. Clearly a proper excavation was necessary, and arrangements for this were made.