Monument record 8412 - Roman Water Supply for Chester Fortress

The earliest evidence of a dedicated water supply for the fortress was recorded in 1821 when an altar was discovered in Boughton dedicated to the Nymphs and Fountains indicating the source of the supply, although it was erected after the arrival of Legio XX in AD 79 when a water supply had already been in place for some years. The aqueduct followed the line of Foregate Street entering the fortress at the Eastgate. A second line was also introduced to the south of the first crossing Grosvenor Park and entering the fortress approximately 100m to the south of the Eastgate. Water delivered by the aqueduct will have supplied a settling tank, possibly in elevated position close to east defences. Water was then distributed to buildings in lead & wooden pipes. Evidence of the mains water supply in the fortress have been recovered on several occasions; isolated finds of lead pipes have been recorded at Newgate Street and Eastgate Street in the late 19th and early 20th century although there is only limited information available on these discoveries. More recently, excavations at the Old Market Hall site in the 1960s have identified several areas of lead water pipe beneath the Elliptical Building, the Elliptical building baths, the principia (headquarters) and the north-south store building to the north of the Elliptical building. Dating evidence from these excavations were varied with the pipe from the Elliptical building clearly dating to AD 79 while the remaining examples appear to be second century at least. Although no evidence of lead piping was recovered from the area of the fortress baths on Bridge Street, two large reservoirs were encountered within the complex, clearly acting as a storage point between the main water supply for the fortress and a dedicated system for the fortress baths.