Benicató Roman Villa in Nules is the first of its kind to be discovered in Plana Baixa. Nestled among the orange groves 700m south-east of El Caminàs, the site was discovered in 1888 during agricultural work in the pujol of Benicató. The villa was established in the 1st century BCE and was in use until 4th century AD.
Benicató Roman Villa is unique in that it was used for agricultural and residential purposes. In the centre, a quadrangular peristyle with a circular pond stands out among the 17 surrounding rooms. Two of these rooms have mosaics with geometric and vegetal patterns, highlighting the importance and sophistication of the villa.
The rural mansion has a porticoed patio with a central pond to collect rainwater. Some of the rooms have stuccoes and mosaics while others were used for domestic life. There are heating systems and wineries.
References:Dryburgh Abbey on the banks of the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders was founded in 1150 in an agreement between Hugh de Morville, Constable of Scotland, and the Premonstratensian canons regular from Alnwick Abbey in Northumberland. The arrival of the canons along with their first abbot, Roger, took place in 1152.
It was burned by English troops in 1322, after which it was restored only to be again burned by Richard II in 1385, but it flourished in the fifteenth century. It was finally destroyed in 1544, briefly surviving until the Scottish Reformation, when it was given to the Earl of Mar by James VI of Scotland. It is now a designated scheduled monument and the surrounding landscape is included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland.
David Erskine, 11th Earl of Buchan bought the land in 1786. Sir Walter Scott and Douglas Haig are buried in its grounds.