Monument record 12503 - Civil War Ditch and City Wall Support, 1 Abbey Green

During archaeological excavations carried out at 1 Abbey Green between 1975 and 1978, part of a ditch made in during the Civil War (context M13) was recorded (1). Running parallel with the city wall and about 6m inside it, the excavators suggested that it was dug for material to back up the wall, to enable it to withstand artillery bombardment; such action was ordered in 1643, 'the wall to be repaired and lined with earth'. It was estimated that the ditch would have provided material for a bank 1.5m high against the city wall. Various seventeenth century finds, including Tudor Green, Dutch tin-glazed ware and imported French, German and Spanish wares were recovered. Tobacco pipe fragments, glassware and lead shot were also reported (1).

<1> Ward, S. W., 1987, Excavations at Chester, the Civil War Siege Works, 1642-6 (Excavation & survey reports), /14-28 (Monograph). SCH1189.

<2> McPeake J.C. Bulmer M & Rutter J.A, 1980, Excavations in the garden of No. 1 Abbey Green, Chester, 1975-77 (Article in Journal). SCH5924.

<3> Grosvenor Museum Excavations Newsletter, 1975, Summary of Excavations in Chester (Newsletter). SCH6237.

<4> Chester Archaeology, 1975-78, Excavations in the garden of No 1 Abbey Green (Unpublished Report). SCH6808.

<5> Cherry, John, 1976, Post-Medieval Britain in 1979 (Article in Journal). SCH6073.