Site Event/Activity record ECH3382 - The City Walls: Excavations at site of the Former Library, St John's Street, Chester 1988 - 1989

Following redevelopment proposals on the site of the former library, an opportunity arose to examine the potential for evidence for the Roman City Wall along its eastern path. Previous archaeological investigation in the area has indicated the Roman wall did not follow the present path, lying just to the east of the medieval wall. Successive excavations in 1892, 1908, 1930 and 1973 have recorded the Roman wall in the area. The excavations encountered the turf rampart and revetment wall comprising substantial blocks of local sandstone (1). Excavations noted that much of the tumbled masonry resulting from the outward collapse of this stretch of the wall had been removed by the excavation of a new defensive ditch at some time during the tenth to eleventh centuries after which it was allowed to silt up. The next phase of activity in the mid to late-twelfth century saw the construction of a lime burning kiln that was subsequently demolished and cut by a new town ditch (2). Listed as Site No 17 in the Defences Monograph (3).