Monument record 8133 - Roman Exterior Surfaces, Rear of 25 Castle Street (St Mary's Hill)

A watching brief at rear of 25 Castle St., undertaken taken opportunistically between 1976 – 1977, where six foundation trenches of a new building were examined, revealed a succession of four sandstone and cobble and pebble surfaces, of Roman date. The lack of associated structural features, together with their rugged character, suggests that they were successive surfaces of an external area. There is a marked similarity with materials and sequences of surface types with the courtyard surfaces of the Castle St. Buildings (CHER 8132). It was thought that Surface I equates with the surfaces laid down around the later Castle St. buildings (CHER 8132/4) as part of the alterations carried out in the first half of fourth century. Surfaces III and IV are thought be contemporary with those laid during earlier stone Phases III and II (CHER 8132/2). They are thought to have formed a continuation of the Castle St. building forecourt or courtyard, rather than a perimeter roadway delimiting the western extent of the building. Note however, the distance between the excavations and the known locations of these monuments. The recovered finds include Samian ware, coarse ware and sandstone roof tiles that date to the mid second to early fourth century (1).

<1> Mason, D. J. P., 1980, Excavations at Chester: 11-15 Castle Street and neighbouring sites 1974-8 : a possible Roman posting house (mansio) (Grosvenor Museum archaeological excavations and survey reports) (Monograph). SCH1194.

<2> Mason, D. J. P., 1987, Chester: the Canabae Legionis (Article in Journal). SCH5623.