Site Event/Activity record ECH7006 - A51 Tarvin Road Improvement Scheme, Chester, Cheshire: Archaeological Watching Brief and Palaeoenvironmental Coring Report

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken in 2020 during topsoil stripping associated with the widening of the A51 Tarvin Road carriageway, part of the A51 Tarvin Road Improvements Scheme, Chester, Cheshire (NGR: SJ 46289 67235 to SJ 48209 66712). Additionally, a borehole was excavated to recover a continuous sample of peat in the vicinity of the River Gowy. The watching brief covered two areas off Tarvin Road, the compound site adjacent to the Tarvin Road roundabout (Area 1) and the south side of Stamford Road Bridge junction (Area 2). Within Area 1, at Tarvin Road roundabout, topsoil was stripped from the whole area required for the proposed compound and foundation trenches for concrete beams and pads were excavated to support cabins. These were excavated through what appeared to be former garden soils, which revealed the remains of wall footings and possible former drains. These do not specifically match with any structures shown on the tithe map of 1838 or late nineteenth century Ordnance Survey mapping, but likely related to an amalgam of garden walls and walkways. The topsoil removal at Stamford Road Bridge junction (Area 2) covered an 660m x 10m wide strip along the base of the road embankment either side of the River Gowy. Topsoil stripping revealed alluvial deposits overlaid by patches of made ground relating to modern landscaping. No archaeological features were revealed. As part of these works a core was taken on the western bank of the River Gowy with the intention of recovering a continuous sample of peat. Although the core did not contain any peat deposits, there was evidence of organic material which does have potential for pollen analysis. (Source 1) The most significant find was a human skull, of Iron Age/Roman date, recovered from the river channel during during works associated with bridge improvements undertaken as part of the scheme (NGR: SJ 46625 67399). This discovery has been the subject of two separate reports (radiocarbon dating and palaeopathology). (Sources 2 and 3)