Habay   ▪

Anlier
The pont d'Oye
The ironworks
Maurice Grévisse
The Mageroy Gallo-Roman villa
Rulles, the village of bridges

The Mageroy Gallo-Roman villa.

The site known as Mageroy, located close to the Nantimont road, is linked to the existence of ancient relics. In fact the term Maceriae, of Latin origin, refers to ancient remains. 1 km to the south of the village of Habay-la-Vieille, at the edge of the secondary mountains between Ardennes and Gaume, not far from the Rulles, excavations of the Mageroy villa unearthed an archaeological site of great importance.

Beginning in 1986, this work revealed a Gallo-Roman villa which had established itself over the course of the first three centuries AD over an area of almost 3 ha.

Visitors are able to visit the remains of the apartments and service buildings of the main building, which belonged to Micia.

Micia was one of the last mistresses of the house; her name was found engraved upon a ring and on some pottery. The name of an important servant, Onesimus Olympius, was also found.

The most remarkable elements of the Mageroy villa are its small courtyard with a well, its fortified porch and service buildings, including the home of Onesimus. The remains of the walls also transformed these apartments into a fortress in 300 AD. The tour guides will explain the development and transformations of the building over time. They also explain to visitors how the various occupants made the building more comfortable (heating, baths, decoration) and how life was very difficult following the invasions of 260 to 270, yet that the people never lost their courage and motivation to repair the buildings and continue to live here.

Finally they situate everything in the context of the landscape as a whole: this was a very active area both in terms of agriculture and labour.