Site Event/Activity record ECH4589 - Archaeological evaluation at Crane Wharf, Chester in 2009

An archaeological evaluation of a possible surviving historic slipway at Crane Wharf, Sealand Road, Chester. Two trenches were rapidly excavated. No evidence for the slipway was revealed and it had been previously concluded that no traces of this structure were likely to survive at this location. However, two sandstone blocks exposed were considered to represent the possible surviving foundation pads of a raised timber jetty shown on historic photographs. Also, amongst the deeply stratified silts were dumped layers of roofing slate and crushed shale, perhaps associated with makeshift landing surfaces and later artificial inlets still evident on the site today. In the smaller Trench 2, the remains of an iron access ladder, up against the nineteenth century quay wall, were traced to a depth of 2m.