Site Event/Activity record ECH4508 - Archaeological Watching Brief Report for land at The Groves Chester

Archaeological Watching Brief carried out at The Groves, Chester. The work consisted of the monitoring of three trenches for improvements to the water services for Chester. No evidence for archaeological features or activity prior to the late nineteenth century identified during groundworks. Trenches 1 and 2 revealed a series of twentieth century make up deposits to a depth of between 1.47m to 1.28m below the current ground level. Below this a make up deposit was identified, thought to date to the late nineteenth century development of the Groves promenade. This sealed in natural alluvial silts between 1.7m and 2.3m below ground level the alluvial silt in Trench 1 produced two sandstone blocks, which showed evidence of working. Although these were potentially Roman or medieval in date they were not in situ and represent dumped rubble which has sunken into alluvial silts. A nineteenth century culvert was identified at the northern end of Trench 3, sealed by late nineteenth century and twentieth century make up deposits.