Site Event/Activity record ECH5146 - The City Walls: North Wall, Chester in 1989 (Northgate House)

Most extensive investigations in the Northgate House area was the dismantling and reconstruction of a 7m long section of the City Wall. During the course of this work, archaeological monitoring was carried out. Although this section appeared to share many similarities with those recorded at Northgate Gardens it should be remembered that the Northgate Gardens stretch was entirely rebuilt in 1890. At this site the base course and plinth along with nine courses of Roman masonry were recorded. The earliest feature recorded was the turf rampart in front of which were the remains of the Roman block in course defensive wall with a base course two stones thick and an offset chamfered plinth laid upon a foundation trench filled with sandstone rubble. The next structural phase following the construction of the block in course revetment wall was represented by the core material comprising sandstone rubble probably inserted in the 18th century and thus representing a period of restoration prior to the 1890 work. The remainder of the structure at this site almost certainly dates to the 1890 restoration (1). As part of the excavation of City Wall, pollen samples were taken from the Roman rampart in conjunction with soil sampling. Analysis of the samples demonstrated that the turves had been cut in an area of wood pasture, probably along the banks of the River Dee. (3)