Site Event/Activity record ECH3957 - Evaluation at Steam Mill Street, Chester in 2003

Three trenches were evaluated on land at Steam Mill St. (1). Evidence for the workers housing was recorded across the site in the form of a rubble layer although recognisable structures were only visible in Trench 2. It is clear that due to the widening of Chapel Street, much of the south building line has been lost and the frontages of the building in this area are now under the street surface. Thick layers of clean silt were recorded in all three trenches stratigraphically pre-dating the workers houses although some post medieval pottery was recorded. There are no associated structures with this layer and it is possible that it constitutes dumping from the construction of the canal. Some Roman activity was recorded across the site suggesting evidence of possible agricultural practices with a north south aligned ditch and a thin undisturbed layer just above the natural deposits (1).