Monument record 9020 - Saxon Grubenhaus, Hunter Street School

Cut into Roman demolition rubble at the site of the former Hunter Street School (excavated between 1979 and 1982) was a small sunken Saxon building (or Grubenhaus) (4). The building consisted of a sub-rectangular pit with at least four large post holes surrounding it at ground level, not within it at floor level, and nearly the full extent of the 3.4 by 2.5m building was preserved. On its southern side it had intersected and removed a section of Roman wall, and it was lined with a light yellow sandy clay. At the north eastern corner of the pit there lay an alcove or extension 1.4m wide and extending back c 0.25m. The floor of this alcove lay c 0.15m below the adjacent, contemporary ground surface and therefore 0.1m above the floor of the main part of the building; the alcove was not lined in the same way as the rest of the building, and it was thought to represent the entrance to the structure.

<1> The Society for Medieval Archaeology, 1957-Present, Medieval Archaeology, Youngs S M & Clark J 1981 25/167 (Journal/Periodical). SCH2131.

<2> multiple authors, 1980/81, Excavation Reports and Sites Observed, 7/43-44 Ward S 1980 (Article in Journal). SCH5806.

<3> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, 1/288 Thacker A 1987 (Book). SCH3556.

<4> Ward, S. W., 1994, Saxon Occupation within the Roman Fortress: Sites Excavated, 1971-81 (Archaeological Service Excavation & Survey Reports) (Monograph). SCH5486.

<5> Grosvenor Museum Excavations Newsletter, 1979, Summary of Excavations in Chester (Newsletter). SCH6263.

<6> Grosvenor Museum Excavations Newsletter, 1980, Summary of Excavations in Chester (Newsletter). SCH6266.