Monument record 8154 - Roman rampart building (No 8) at the Kaleyards

Please read our .

Summary

Traces of a north-south aligned wall was recorded during reconstruction work to the present city wall in 1989/90. The work was part of a larger scheme of repair and maintenance at the Kaleyards. The lower three courses of the wall were encountered some 3.6m west of the rampart wall and was interpreted as the east exterior wall of a rampart building. The area between the rampart and the internal buildings was known as the intervallum. The inner half of this strip was occupied by the perimeter road (via sagularis). Backing onto the rampart was a series of 'rampart buildings' and bread ovens. The rampart buildings were initially of timber but were rebuilt in stone about the start of the second century. Some at least were demolished as early as the middle of that century. In their stone form they contained three rooms and measured 12.3m x 7.3m. They were often arranged in groups of three and may have served as mess-rooms, one rampart building serving two barracks.

Map

Find a placename, postcode or grid reference

Map layers

Base layers

Info

Record list

Tools

Type and Period (3)

Full Description

Traces of a north-south aligned wall was recorded during reconstruction work to the present city wall in 1989/90. The work was part of a larger scheme of repair and maintenance at the Kaleyards. The lower three courses of the wall were encountered some 3.6m west of the rampart wall and was interpreted as the east exterior wall of a rampart building. (1) Further archaeological investigations at the Kaleyards in 1993 identified traces of a possible Roman structure, tentatively interpreted as a rampart building. The structural evidence comprised a robber trench lying adjacent to, and parallel with the line of the Roman East Wall. However this placed the building close to the line of the present wall and had been extensively robbed at some time in the past. (2)


<1> LeQuesne C, 1999, Excavations at Chester: The Roman and Later Defences Part I (Monograph). SCH6156.

<2> Chester Archaeology, 1993, Chester City Walls (East) - 1993 Interim Report, R2680 (Client Report). SCH4787.

Sources/Archives (2)

  • <1> Monograph: LeQuesne C. 1999. Excavations at Chester: The Roman and Later Defences Part I. Survey Report No 11.
  • <2> Client Report: Chester Archaeology. 1993. Chester City Walls (East) - 1993 Interim Report. R2680. N/A. N/A. R2680.

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (2)

External Links (0)

Location

Grid reference Centred SJ 406 665 (14m by 24m) (2 map features)
Map sheet SJ46NW
Civil Parish CHESTER NON PARISH AREA, CHESTER, CHESHIRE WEST AND CHESTER
Historic Township/Parish/County CHESTER, CHESTER HOLY TRINITY, CHESHIRE

Protected Status/Designation

Record last edited

Jul 4 2024 1:28PM