Monument record 8049 - Roman floor from Nun's Field

Traces of a Roman inscribed tessellated floor was recorded at the Nun's Field during excavations for the cellar of a house north east of the main entrance to the Castle and was subsequently used as a floor in the house. It is uncertain what happened to it on the demolition of the house in the mid 19th century. A cast of the inscription is preserved in the Grosvenor Museum C.UTI.L.A.R.PESCE.NNINI. And is translated as Of Caius Utius Pescenninus, the son of Lucius, of the Arnesian tribe. (1) Watkin believes the floor was left in situ

Later work in 1939 for the construction of an ARP Shelter south of the Barracks recorded evidence of a layer 47.5cm thick with Roman material including large quantities of fragmented sherds of pottery, samian ware and coarse ware. The evidence largely dates to the second century AD. Newstead also suggests a Roman floor, composed of broken tiles and mortar (opus signinum), was discovered in 1914. (2)

<1> Thompson Watkin W. T., 1886, Roman Cheshire: A Description of Roman Remains in the County of Chester, p238-9 (Book). SCH2878.

<2> Newstead, R (Prof.), 1948, Records of Archaeological Finds VI, P162-6 (Article in Journal). SCH5761.

<3> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, p175 (Book). SCH3556.

<4> Mason, D. J. P., 1978, The Extramural Area, p33 (Article in Journal). SCH6313.

<5> Haverfield, F, 1900, Catalogue of the Roman Sculptured stones in the Grosvenor Museum, No 208 (Article in Journal). SCH5530.

<6> Lloyd-Morgan G., 1977, Mirrors in Roman Chester (Article in Journal). SCH5915.

<7> Lawson, P H, 1926, Schedule of the Roman Remains of Chester with Maps and Plans, No 50 (Article in Journal). SCH5956.