Site Event/Activity record ECH6220 - Archaeological Evaluation. Chester Northgate Redevelopment. Areas B, C and D.

Oxford Archaeology (OA) North was commissioned by Chester West and Chester Council to carry out a programme of evaluation trenching and boreholes across an area within the north-western quadrant of the historic city centre of Chester. This programme was undertaken during March and April 2016, comprising the excavation of eight trenches and five boreholes, in three parts of the redevelopment. This work follows, and was informed by, evaluations undertaken by Oxford Archaeology North on behalf of Chester West and Chester Council during April/May 2015. The work was required to inform the design process of the proposed major scheme of redevelopment within the area, by identifying the presence/absence and representative depth (according to Ordnance Datum), of significant archaeological deposits relating to the former Roman legionary fortress. The state of the archaeological remains across the present bus station (indeed, whether any significant archaeology survived) in the aftermath of previous redevelopments and excavations in the early 1980s was unclear and thus three trenches were excavated in this area. The trenching produced important results, establishing that a depth of 600mm of intact Roman archaeological deposits, as well as structural remains, survive intact and undisturbed. Considered in conjunction with the evidence from further west on Hunter Street, the work indicates that a large area to the south of Hunter Street retains significant archaeological deposits. In addition, a further small trench was excavated in July 2016 at the location of Borehole 7. This was to test the infiltration capacity of the area of the new Market Square. A further trench was excavated at the west end of Princess Street, close to the Crowne Plaza Hotel. In contrast to the evidence from the bus station, it was established that a substantial overcut for the hotel exists, which has removed all significant archaeology at that location. This adds to the evidence gathered previously for the Crowne Plaza area, which includes both part of a post-medieval graveyard, and a probable Roman wall, and other areas, which have been largely stripped of significant archaeology during groundworks for the Market Hall and Crowne Plaza Hotel. South of the Market Hall, less modern excavation had occurred and thus less was known about the archaeological survival. The trenches and boreholes there revealed postmedieval ‘made ground’ within several trenches around Hamilton House and Goldsmith House, and a large post-medieval cistern was uncovered to the east. Whilst potential archaeological horizons were noted at a depth of 1.2m within several boreholes, there is evidence for recent made ground and post-medieval deposits overlying significant archaeology at less than 1m below the present ground surface in several areas. (1)