Site Event/Activity record ECH6891 - Northgate Redevelopment, Chester: Phase 1: Supplementary Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment

A supplementary desk-based assessment was undertaken in 2020, in support of the proposed re-development of Chester Northgate; this study provides additional data for Phase 1 of the re-development to supplement the original, site-wide, desk-based assessment produced in 2016 (ECH6205). The area of the Phase 1 development is bounded by Princess Street on the south side, Hunter Street to the north, Northgate Street to the east, and St Martin's Way on the west. The 2016 study indicated that stratified deposits of most historical periods from potentially prehistoric to post medieval period survive over many parts of the development site. It identified that the most archaeologically significant deposits within the Phase 1 site lay towards the north-west corner of the area (Area A), which was allocated to Zones 1 and 2 in the archaeological zoning plan of the site. The rest of the area of Phase 1 was assigned either to Zone 3 (preservation and status of archaeological deposits uncertain) or Zone 4 (archaeological remains wholly or largely destroyed). The main aims of the supplementary assessment were to collate additional archaeological information relevant to the revised Phase 1 scheme, also to present updated estimates for the potential impact on the most significant buried archaeological remains. Most of the new archaeological data were generated by phases of archaeological fieldwork undertaken since the original DBA was produced - mostly evaluation trenching, test-pitting and monitoring of geotechnical boreholes, also one larger excavation located immediately north of the Phase 1 boundary. Additionally, a small amount of information came from earlier archaeological interventions which had come to light since 2016. Other contributory sources of information included a desk-based study produced in 2018-19 investigating the archaeological impact of Chester's sewers, and a re-discovered collection of architect's drawings for a pedestrian underpass constructed beneath St Martin's Way in the 1960s. This data provided new information on the thickness and depth of significant archaeology at several locales within the study area, the character and date of existing archaeological remains, and the extent of modern disturbance beneath roads and adjacent to the Market Hall and The Forum shopping centre. For the most part, the top of the significant archaeology appears to lie at least 0.5m below the modern surface, being sealed by archaeological deposits of lesser significance, such as accumulations of medieval/post medieval 'cultivated' soils, in turn overlain by modern materials. Although, in some locales, the significant archaeology lies at a shallower depth. In terms of the character and date of the archaeology recorded, the eight fieldwork events exposed remains associated with the west rampart of the Roman legionary fortress, the via quintana, several fortress buildings, as well as other deposits of probably Roman date. Other remains recorded largely comprised accumulation of dark cultivation/garden soils and probable refuse pits. New evidence for the extent of modern disturbance within the study area also came from results of the fieldwork, together with the sewer study and architect's drawings. (1) An Environmental Impact Assessment (Chapter 15: Archaeology) was produced in 2019 for the Northgate redevelopment scheme following on from an original assessment in May 2016. The chapter considers the proposals in light of the changes to Phase 0 and 1of the Northgate scheme and identifies any new or altered significant effects which could arise. It is based on information based in the 2019 Supplementary DBA (R4483/SCH8966). (2) Post excavation analysis for the full scheme of mitigation undertaken as part of the Phase 1 re-development. (3)