Monument record 8214/2 - Evidence of the Roman West Wall at Linenhall Street

Excavations at Linenhall Street in 1949 aimed to identify the defences of the Roman fortress. A single trench cut across the defences noted that no trace of the western wall survived in situ with only the robber trench remaining. (1)

Subsequent excavations carried out in Linenhall Street between 1961 and 1962 by F H Thompson of the Grosvenor Museum recorded further evidence of the Roman defensive system. In all 24 trenches were excavated across a substantial area with the aim of establishing the exact line and composition of the Roman defences on the western side of the fortress. In addition to the section of the wall encountered in 1949, three further trenches recorded the line of the fortress wall. This confirmed the wall over a distance of some 45m. The evidence from this site indicated at least two phases of construction for the rampart wall as it was increased in width from 1.5m in its original Trajanic construction to 3.5m in the Constantinian period at the expense of the turf rampart. (2)

Archaeological observations across the same site in 1963-4 during the construction of the inner ring road confirmed the previous observations of a programme of substantial widening of the wall particularly between the interval tower (CHER 8236) and the West gate (CHER 8216). In all, the wall was traced of a length of some 8.4m with the original foundations almost doubling in width before a new base course of large flat sandstone blocks was introduced. (3) Fragments of several tombstones were recovered during the work. (13)

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.

<1> Webster, Graham, 1953, Excavations on the Legionary Defences at Chester, 1949-52 (Part ii) (Article in Journal). SCH5727.

<2> Thompson F.H, 1969, Excavations at Linenhall Street, Chester 1961-62 (Article in Journal). SCH5894.

<3> Chester Archaeology, 1963, Linenhall Street Site Record (Unpublished Report). SCH6564.

<4> LeQuesne C, 1999, Excavations at Chester: The Roman and Later Defences Part I (Monograph). SCH6156.

<5> Chester Archaeological Society, Journal of the Chester Archaeological Society, Vol 54 p156 (Journal/Periodical). SCH1595.

<6> Chester Archaeology, 1999, Dig News, No (Newsletter). SCH6462.

<7> Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies, 1911-Present, Journal of Roman Studies, Vol 53 p129 (Journal/Periodical). SCH1519.

<8> Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies, 1911-Present, Journal of Roman Studies, Vol 40 p97-98 (Journal/Periodical). SCH1519.

<9> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, p122-127 (Book). SCH3556.

<10> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, 1981 SJ46NW18 (Index). SCH2487.

<11> Longley D, 1977-1978, Longley Archive, /no.338 (Paper Archive). SCH2005.