Site Event/Activity record ECH4294 - Archaeological Watching Brief at the Grosvenor Centre, Pepper Street Chester, in 1999 - 2000

The watching brief monitored the works related to the excavation of foundation trenches and lift shaft pits and undertook a rapid survey of the excavated subsoil for artefacts of archaeological significance. Archaeological deposits of Roman date were observed in the north-west corner of the site, within lift shaft pit 1, consisting of a pit and layers associated with rampart buildings. The pit may have served as a post setting before being used as a refuse pit, from which animal bones and pottery were recovered. Remains of the Roman fortress wall were also uncovered at the centre of the site, adjacent to the location of a access ramp, which was being removed as part of the refurbishment works. The section of wall exposed was fully archaeologically excavated and recorded and a sample of constituent mortar retained for analysis, which demonstrated that all of the mortar constituents were of local origin.