Monument record 9056 - Possible Saxon Stone Building, Eastgate Row

Traces of a stone building, thought to date to either between the late fourth – early fifth or ninth century (see below) were recorded during the 1991 excavations at the corner of Northgate St. and Eastgate St (1). These remains were comprised of a wall of dressed stone with a rubble core, overlying a layer of rubble composed of irregular sandstone blocks set in clay. This may represent a foundation for a timber structure, but the facing on at least one part of the masonry suggested otherwise (1). Stratigraphically, this wall post-dates a horizon that was confidently dated to the end of the fourth century, and was earlier than the Saxo-Norman road surface (CHER 9057), but no dating material was recovered. It was tentatively suggested that a stone structure would be more in keeping with the established Roman activity at this site, but that ‘large-scale masonry construction is not to be expected at so late a date, c 400 AD’ (1). The excavators go on to state that: ‘What purpose this structure might have served in Roman or Mercian Chester is not clear; at this sate it might be expected that only the church had the resources to commission masonry structures. However, there is no evidence for an ecclesiastical function here. Nevertheless, it may well provide evidence for high-status occupation in the city at some period after AD 400’ (1).

<1> Matthews K J, 1995, Excavations at Chester The Evolution of the Heart of the City 3-15 Eastgate Street (Monograph). SCH6151.

<2> Chester Archaeology, 1990, 11-13 Eastgate Street, Chester (formerly Owen Owen): An Archaeological Evaluation, R2084 (Client Report). SCH4116.