Monument record 8602/1 - Possible Roman industrial activity at Nun's Field

Excavations carried out in 1964 on the site of the former Police Headquarters revealed some evidence for Roman activity from the second to third century AD, however the evidence remains fragmentary due to the limited nature of the evaluation.

Evidence of possible industrial activity is supported by a Roman layer of ash and charcoal discovered in trenches 1, 2, 5 and 10 of the evaluation. This suggests a concentration of industrial activity to the north of the stone strip buildings (8602/3).

A possible Roman structure is represented by linear features interpreted as either gullies or timber beam slots, however, the evidence is again limited. Dating evidence suggests a period of use from around 120-200 AD. (1)

This is followed by a series of pits of a mid to late second century date, ending in the mid third century. The pits are then covered by a series of soil layers up until the medieval period, interpreted as possible agricultural or horticultural layers (1)

An incomplete lead cover for a glass mirror and fragments of a bronze mirror disc of C1 type, with a border pattern of circular holes (2).

Archaeological investigations at the Nun’s Field site (now the Council Headquarters building) in the later 20th century have recorded evidence of industrial activity. An early evaluation in 1964 recorded a layer containing substantial ash and charcoal deposits (8602/1) while more recent investigations in 2007 have recorded at least one furnace and several structures serving a probable industrial function to the east (8602/3) and west (8602/2) of a road.

<1> McPeake J.C., 2012, Nun's Field, 1964 (Article in Monograph). SCH6555.

<2> Lloyd-Morgan G., 1986, Records of ‘aurei’ from Chester, p71-77 (Article in Journal). SCH5944.