Site Event/Activity record ECH4445 - Watching brief at Castle Drive, Chester in 2007

A programme of archaeological monitoring was carried out at Castle Drive and the Little Roodee car park, Chester (1). This included the monitoring of the excavation for a new disabled access ramp from the Little Roodee car park to Castle Drive and improvement works along Castle Drive. The fieldwork was carried out between 22 January 2007 and 1 April 2008. The site area has been in use since at least the Roman period, where a Mansio, close to the site, was situated on the main southern route out of Chester, within metres of the site area. During the medieval and post-medieval periods the site was used by skinners and glovers for both industrial and domestic purposes. In the early nineteenth century the area around Chester Castle underwent significant redevelopment which included the renovation and extension of the Castle, construction of a new goal and modification of the City Walls. The area was redeveloped between 1899 and 1910 when Castle Drive was constructed and a promenade put in place along the river frontage. The investigation uncovered evidence for the construction of the 1830s city walls and the later construction of Castle Drive. From the results of the investigation the alignment of the 1830s city walls has been confirmed, aiding in the location of a line of granite sets across Castle Drive marking its location (1).