Monument record 8202/5/2 - Roman tombstones recorded in the North Wall at Deanery Field

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Summary

The North wall of the defences at Chester has long been considered to be Roman in origin with Roman foundations and several courses of Roman masonry surviving in situ at the base of the wall alongside later medieval and post medieval construction, however its long history has required frequent periods of repair and maintenance. Following earlier discoveries of Roman architectural fragments and tombstones at Morgan’s Mount, the opportunity was taken to examine in detail a substantial section of the north wall at the Deanery Field in 1887 from which a large number of re-used early Roman tombstones were recovered. Although dating was again problematic a single coin suggest the repairs were carried out in the mid to late third century. There has been much debate since as to when these Roman fragments were inserted into the wall and although originally believed to be medieval or post medieval repairs to the walls it has also been suggested that the repairs occurred in the late third century AD. The defences of the Roman fortress comprised several components: The rampart (artificial bank), built in the late first century, consisted of a core of sand, clay or rubble held in place to the front and rear by revetments of stacked turves. It was set on a base of close-set transverse logs and measured approx 6m wide by perhaps 3m high. The top of the rampart would have been flattened to create a walkway that could be patrolled and would have had been protected by a wooden palisade. In all the defences defined a rectangular space some 592m long and 411m wide. Towers, initially of timber and measuring 4.42m square, were also placed at regular intervals along each wall as well as at each angle of the fortress, while four major gates were placed at each main access point to control traffic in and out. There may originally have been 44 towers in all, including angle and gate towers, the angle towers perhaps being about 45m apart. The towers were later rebuilt in stone, measuring about 6.5 m square, with the angle towers being slightly larger. They were now placed slightly further apart, at about 62.5m, and the total number reduced to 34 or 36. The rampart was separated from a substantial outer ditch by a flat area called a berm. The berm was about 1.8m wide and the primary ditch about 3m wide by 1.5m deep. At a later date the defences were further strengthened by the insertion of a stone revetment wall laid in regular courses each about 0.30m high against the outer face of the rampart. This measured about 1.5m wide by about 4.75m to wall walk level and was again surmounted by stone breastwork. The ditch was widened and deepened, perhaps up to 7m by 3m, although re-cutting has made the dimensions difficult to measure. The date of construction of the stone revetment wall is disputed. It is possible that the southern and eastern sectors were started at the beginning of the second century, along with the towers, but that remaining sectors were not completed until the early third century. Evidence of two phases of reconstruction incorporating re-used stones has been found on all but the south side, accompanied in some cases by rubble in the ditch. It is suggested that reconstruction to the original width is to be dated to the start of the fourth century, but that doubling of the width may belong to the Saxon period.

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Type and Period (2)

Full Description

Repairs to the North Wall in 1887 recorded a substantial number of Roman inscribed stones believed to by tombstones from a nearby cemetery. (1) The stone were not inserted into the wall structure until some later point and as such indicate a period of repair to the present wall although a coin of Constantius II (AD 324-37) has led to the suggestion that the repair was carried out at some time during the late third century. (4)

There has been much debate since as to when these Roman fragments were inserted into the wall and although originally believed to be medieval or post medieval repairs to the walls (1) it has also been suggested that the repairs occurred in the late third century AD. Mason has suggested that by the third century the wall were in need of substantial repair, citing evidence of damaged stone blocks at the base of the wall and in the ditch fill. The subsequent repairs to the wall included the reuse of tombstones, other funerary monuments and architectural fragments. (22)

See RIB i No’s 466, 487, 490-1, 494-5, 497, 503-5, 509, 515-6, 520-3, 527, 534-6, 545- 6, 556-7, 560-1, 564-5, 567-8. See Ref 7 Nos - 13, 35-7, 40-1, 43, 49-50, 54, 59-60, 64- 6, 70, 78, 81-4, 90, 93-5, 101, 106-7, 109-10, 112-3, 117-20, 125-6, 140-1, 150-1, 154- 5, 150-60, 162, 165-6, 176. (2)

Henig No 28; 33-35; 37; 42-44; 47; 53; 62; 63; 67; 71-74; 79; 80; 87-89; 93-95; 97; 107; 110 (23)


<1> Jones, I Matthews, 1888, Official Report on the Discoveries of Roman remains at Chester, during the First Repairs to the North Wall, in 1887 (Article in Journal). SCH5568.

<2> Watkin, W Thompson, 1888, The Roman Inscriptions Discovered at Chester, during the First Repairs to the North Wall, in 1887 (Article in Journal). SCH5569.

<3> Birch, W de Gray, 1888, Notes on a Sculptured Stone Recently Found in the North Wall of the City of Chester (Article in Journal). SCH5570.

<4> Birch, W de Gray, 1888, The Inscribed Roman Stones Recently Found at Chester, during the Second Series of Repairs to the North Wall (Article in Journal). SCH5572.

<5> Mowat, M Robert, 1890, Notes on the Tombstone of M Aurelius Alexander, in Chester (Article in Journal). SCH5580.

<6> Hubner, Prof., 1890, The Roman Inscriptions of Deva (Chester) (Article in Journal). SCH5581.

<7> Haverfield, F, 1900, Catalogue of the Roman Sculptured stones in the Grosvenor Museum (Article in Journal). SCH5530.

<8> Shrubshole, George W, 1887, On the age of the City Walls of Chester (Article in Journal). SCH6532.

<9> Birch, W de Gray, 1887, On the discoveries made in the City Walls (Article in Journal). SCH6533.

<10> Strickland, T.J., 1983, The Defences of Roman Chester: a Note on Discoveries made on the North Wall, 1982 (Article in Journal). SCH5816.

<11> Lloyd-Morgan G., 1977, Mirrors in Roman Chester (Article in Journal). SCH5915.

<12> Lawson, P H, 1926, Schedule of the Roman Remains of Chester with Maps and Plans (Article in Journal). SCH5956.

<13> Richmond, I A and G Webster, 1951, Excavations at Goss Street, Chester, 1948-49 (Article in Journal). SCH5663.

<14> Birley, E (Prof.), 1983, An Italian Legionary at Chester, 5-8 (Article in Journal). SCH5637.

<15> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I (Book). SCH3556.

<16> Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies, 1911-Present, Journal of Roman Studies, Vol 43 p111 (Journal/Periodical). SCH1519.

<17> Collingwood R G & Wright R P, 1965, The Roman Inscriptions of Britain: Volume I, p131-2 (Monograph). SCH3235.

<18> Wright, R. P. & Richmond, I. A., 1955, Catalogue of the Roman Inscribed and Sculptured Stones in the Grosvenor Museum, Chester (Monograph). SCH522.

<19> Thompson, F.H., 1964, A History of Cheshire. Volume Two: Roman Cheshire, p28-29 (Book). SCH2862.

<20> Shrubsole, George W, 1886, Catalogue of the Roman Altars (Book). SCH6540.

<21> Lawson, P H, 1926, Schedule of the Roman Remains of Chester with Maps and Plans, No 3 (Article in Journal). SCH5956.

<22> Mason, D. J. P., 2001, Roman Chester: City of the Eagles, p204 (Book). SCH6164.

<23> Henig D.F, 2004, Roman Sculpture in the NW Midlands, No 18 (Book). SCH6862.

Sources/Archives (23)

  • <1> Article in Journal: Jones, I Matthews. 1888. Official Report on the Discoveries of Roman remains at Chester, during the First Repairs to the North Wall, in 1887. Journal of the Chester Archaeological and Historic Society. Volume 2.
  • <2> Article in Journal: Watkin, W Thompson. 1888. The Roman Inscriptions Discovered at Chester, during the First Repairs to the North Wall, in 1887. Journal of the Chester Archaeological and Historic Society. Volume 2.
  • <3> Article in Journal: Birch, W de Gray. 1888. Notes on a Sculptured Stone Recently Found in the North Wall of the City of Chester. Journal of the Chester Archaeological and Historic Society. Volume 2.
  • <4> Article in Journal: Birch, W de Gray. 1888. The Inscribed Roman Stones Recently Found at Chester, during the Second Series of Repairs to the North Wall. Journal of the Chester Archaeological and Historic Society. Volume 2.
  • <5> Article in Journal: Mowat, M Robert. 1890. Notes on the Tombstone of M Aurelius Alexander, in Chester. Journal of the Chester Archaeological and Historic Society. Volume 3.
  • <6> Article in Journal: Hubner, Prof.. 1890. The Roman Inscriptions of Deva (Chester). Journal of the Chester Archaeological and Historic Society. Volume 3.
  • <7> Article in Journal: Haverfield, F. 1900. Catalogue of the Roman Sculptured stones in the Grosvenor Museum. Journal of the Chester Archaeological and Historic Society. Volume 7.
  • <8> Article in Journal: Shrubshole, George W. 1887. On the age of the City Walls of Chester. The Archaeological Journal. 44.
  • <9> Article in Journal: Birch, W de Gray. 1887. On the discoveries made in the City Walls. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of London (2nd Series). 12.
  • <10> Article in Journal: Strickland, T.J.. 1983. The Defences of Roman Chester: a Note on Discoveries made on the North Wall, 1982. Journal of the Chester Archaeological and Historic Society. Volume 65.
  • <11> Article in Journal: Lloyd-Morgan G.. 1977. Mirrors in Roman Chester. Journal of the Chester Archaeological and Historic Society. 60.
  • <12> Article in Journal: Lawson, P H. 1926. Schedule of the Roman Remains of Chester with Maps and Plans. Journal of the Chester Archaeological and Historic Society. Volume 27, Part 1.
  • <13> Article in Journal: Richmond, I A and G Webster. 1951. Excavations at Goss Street, Chester, 1948-49. Journal of the Chester Archaeological and Historic Society. Volume 38.
  • <14> Article in Journal: Birley, E (Prof.). 1983. An Italian Legionary at Chester. Britannia. Volume 14. 5-8.
  • <15> Book: Harris, B.E. (ed). 1987. Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I.
  • <16> Journal/Periodical: Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies. 1911-Present. Journal of Roman Studies. Vol 43 p111.
  • <17> Monograph: Collingwood R G & Wright R P. 1965. The Roman Inscriptions of Britain: Volume I. volume I. p131-2.
  • <18> Monograph: Wright, R. P. & Richmond, I. A.. 1955. Catalogue of the Roman Inscribed and Sculptured Stones in the Grosvenor Museum, Chester.
  • <19> Book: Thompson, F.H.. 1964. A History of Cheshire. Volume Two: Roman Cheshire. p28-29.
  • <20> Book: Shrubsole, George W. 1886. Catalogue of the Roman Altars.
  • <21> Article in Journal: Lawson, P H. 1926. Schedule of the Roman Remains of Chester with Maps and Plans. Journal of the Chester Archaeological and Historic Society. Volume 27, Part 1. No 3.
  • <22> Book: Mason, D. J. P.. 2001. Roman Chester: City of the Eagles. p204.
  • <23> Book: Henig D.F. 2004. Roman Sculpture in the NW Midlands. No 18.

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Location

Grid reference SJ 405 667 (point) Central Point
Map sheet SJ46NW
Civil Parish CHESTER NON PARISH AREA, CHESTER, CHESHIRE WEST AND CHESTER
Historic Township/Parish/County CHESTER, CHESTER HOLY TRINITY, CHESHIRE

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Record last edited

Jul 4 2024 1:26PM