Site Event/Activity record ECH5166 - Recorded Remains from White Friars Cottage, Chester in 1884

A large Roman colonnaded building was recorded from the premises of My Bullin (1) (2) (3) (4). His cottage (White Friars Cottage) was on the west side of Bolland's Court, with a cellar on the east side (5) (6) (7). Watkin gives a more detailed account of the observations at White Friars including a detailed plan of the remains. The medieval evidence, encountered at a depth of around 60cm comprised a fireplace and hearthstones with a number of green glazed medieval floor tiles probably associated with the friary. The Roman evidence was encountered at a depth of around 1.2m and comprised several columns and column bases along with a number of rough blocks of sandstone. A Roman road surface was also encountered beneath the present White Friars road. Quantities of Samian ware some armillae, a fibulae of bronze and some 35 coins were also recovered. Bullin had originally intended to rebuild also on the eastern side of Bolland's Court, however on the discovery of Roman remains beneath the Cottage, a shaft was sunk beneath no 10 and a large platform of stones were found to continue here from the Cottage site. Legal difficulties prevented the rebuilding on the eastern side, however the shaft was described in some detail by Watking who noted a sculptured stone and a charcoal layer containing a brass coin. (9)