Site Event/Activity record ECH7058 - Land at Marian Drive, Great Boughton, Chester: Archaeological Observation During Residential Development

Archaeological monitoring and recording was undertaken in 2022 during groundworks associated with the erection new domestic dwellings on land at Marian Drive, Great Boughton, Chester (centring on NGR SJ 4276 6602). The site consists of a rectangular plot of generally level land, aligned roughly north–south, and extends to approximately 1600m2. Until recently, it has been utilised and maintained as a market garden and orchard containing a number of fruit trees and shed buildings. The site lies within the wider area of Chester’s archaeological potential and, in particular, on the fringes of the extensive Roman cemetery located to the east of Chester; a number of Roman cremations having been recovered previously from the vicinity of the proposed development site. During the watching brief three features were encountered comprising two pits and a linear feature, all of which were dated by finds to the late post-medieval period. Their original function is uncertain, although they may have been associated with agriculture, perhaps planting pits/beds or, in the case of the linear feature, drainage. None of the features appeared to have served a structural function. No other features, deposits or finds of archaeological significance were recorded. Finds recovered consisted of medieval pottery and post-medieval ceramics and glass probably representing domestic waste that entered the ground through general disposal and manuring processes. (1)