Monument record 8522 - Roman Sandstone Spread, Possible Surface or Evidence of Stone Working Activities, Telephone Exchange

During excavations at the Telephone Exchange in St John St. between 1970 and 1971 (3), a series of Roman features were recorded. This monument refers to a large sandstone spread of Roman date, found to be sealing a series of other Roman features (CHER 8521). This layer of sandstone fragments was over 0.3m thick, and in the excavators words, it was difficult to understand as a surfacing or as building destruction; it was uncompacted and irregular, and no squared stones were recovered (3). Where this deposit overlay a Roman pit (CHER 8520), it was sealed by a brown layer containing only Roman tile. A possibility is that this area was used for stone dressing, but the excavator notes that the sparse dating evidence suggests an earlier date than when the third century reconstruction of the city walls took place (3). Please note that what Newstead identified as part of a road surface was found just to the west of this site (CHER 8519).

<1> Newstead, R (Prof.), 1939, Records of Archaeological Finds II-V, Newstead R 1939 33/9-11 (Article in Journal). SCH5702.

<2> n/a, 1954, Miscellanea, Webster G 1954 41/89 (Article in Journal). SCH5735.

<3> Robinson D.J. & Ward T.E, 1975, Excavations on the site of the Chester telephone exchange extension, Robinson D J & Ward T E 1975 58/41-6 (Article in Journal). SCH5902.

<4> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, 1/170-171 Petch D F 1987 (Book). SCH3556.

<5> Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies, 1970-Present, Britannia, 3/313 Wilson D R 1972 (Journal/Periodical). SCH445.

<6> Earthworks Archaeology, 2006, Proposed Redevelopment at The Former BT Exchange Building St John Street Chester, R2606 (Client Report). SCH4656.