Site Event/Activity record ECH6461 - St. Mary's Community Centre, St. Mary's Church, Overleigh Road, Handbridge, Chester: An Archaeological Strip & Map Excavation

Ahead of the proposed demolition of the existing Church Hall and erection of a new Community Centre at St. Mary’s Church, Overleigh Road, Handbridge, Chester (centring on SJ 74066 6549) an archaeological desk-based assessment concluded that remains associated with Roman and later activity may be anticipated within the site. An initial field evaluation of the site, undertaken during April 2016 (see ECH6201), identified pockets of Roman archaeology surviving between later disturbances. During August 2017 an area within the footprint of the proposed new building was targeted for an archaeological strip, map and sample excavation. The work was commissioned by St. Mary’s Without-The-Walls parochial church council ahead of the erection of a new community centre. The principal aim of the project was to expose, sample excavate and record any surviving remains of the Roman archaeology identified during the field evaluation. Additionally, a watching brief was undertaken following demolition of the existing church hall and during further groundworks associated with the project. The earliest features encountered included several pits and an enclosure ditch from which finds dating to the Roman period were recovered. Other features encountered during the strip and map excavation included a late medieval pit, and a brick kiln and ditch, both of late post-medieval date. Limited remains also dating to the Roman period were recorded during the watching brief and, overall, the character of the Roman occupation encountered can be considered to be that of a low-status settlement probably associated with agricultural land use south of the legionary fortress during the second century. (1)