Monument record 8504 - Pre fortress ditch at the site of the Elliptical Building

A substantial ditch recorded during archaeological investigations at the Old Market Hall site (currently the Forum Shopping Centre) in 1963 and again in 1969 was proven to pre date the construction of the Roman fortress in the Flavian period. (1)

The ditch was recorded on an east-west alignment during investigations in trench I/III in 1963 and formed a steep sided, flat bottomed feature surviving to a depth of 1.25m and 4.25m wide. Subsequent archaeological observations extended the known section of this feature for a total distance of 14.95m. (1)

That it predated the Elliptical building is clear with foundation cuts from the building truncating the ditch, however no finds were recorded from the fill of the ditch that could identify its period of construction. (1)

<1> Mason, D. J. P., 2000, Excavations at Chester: The Elliptical building: An image of the Roman world?, p7-9 (Monograph). SCH6158.