Monument record 8039 - Roman Harbour at the Roodee

<1> Shrubsole, George W, 1887, The Traffic between Deva and the Coast of North Wales, in Roman Times, p77-108 (Article in Journal). SCH5540.

<2> Morris, Rupert H (Rev.), 1892, The Roman Pigs of Lead Discovered near Chester (Article in Journal). SCH5584.

During the Roman period there may have been a harbour in Chester, located roughly where the Roodee is today. Excavations in the late nineteenth century revealed oak timbers bedded in concrete suggestive of a timber wharf extending into the harbour and a massive sandstone quay wall which ran from Dee Stands up towards the Watergate. A length of lead piping was found on some of the masonry blocks, and the timbers were nailed together with iron shoes.

<3> Lawson, P H, 1926, Schedule of the Roman Remains of Chester with Maps and Plans, p186 No.87 (Article in Journal). SCH5956.

<4> Thompson Watkin W. T., 1886, Roman Cheshire: A Description of Roman Remains in the County of Chester, p114; 163; 223 (Book). SCH2878.

<5> Watkin W.T, 1889, Recent discoveries in Lancashire and Cheshire, p52 (Article in Journal). SCH5965.

<6> Watkin W.T, 1887, Roman inscriptions discovered in Britain in 1886, p124-5 (Article in Journal). SCH6572.

The artefacts found on site ranged from coins to pot sherds to animal bones, four human skulls, around a ton of coal, pieces of lime and a fragment of concrete. Those finds which could be dated were Flavian (AD 69-96). One trench also contained a lead pig inscribed with the words ‘IMP VESP AVG’ and a date of AD 74. It appears that the wharf was already in use when occupation of the fortress began.

<7> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, p178-179 (Book). SCH3556.

<8> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ36NE2/1963 (Index). SCH2487.

<9> Longley D, 1977-1978, Longley Archive, /no.379 (Paper Archive). SCH2005.

<10> Mason, D. J. P., 1978, The Extramural Area, p38 (Article in Journal). SCH6313.

<11> Mason, D. J. P., 2001, Roman Chester: City of the Eagles, p111-117 (Book). SCH6164.

<12> Mason, D. J. P., 2002, The Town and Port of Roman Chester, p64-72 (Article in Monograph). SCH6080.

<13> Shone W, 1911, Prehistoric Man in Cheshire (Book). SCH2710.