Monument record 10032 - Kaleyards, Chester

The Kaleyards was an area to the east of the Cathedral outside the City Walls. It is first referred to in 1501 as the garden of the abbot and convent of St Werburgh. There is also reference to it being used as for military exercises from time to time. The Kaleyards in the 17th century covered an area between Frodsham Street and the City Wall extending from the Eastgate to the Phoenix Tower. (1)

Archaeological investigations at Frodsham Street in 2011 recorded evidence of agricultural soils in the medieval and post medieval periods in several trenches across the site associated with the areas past use as a market garden. Two soil layers were identified in trench 4 at the southern end of the site while in trench 6 an agricultural soil of probable medieval date was also identified. (6)

Evidence of continued use of the area for agricultural or gardening purposes in the post medieval period was also noted in trench 5 at the northern end a series of north-south aligned linear features of a post medieval date were tentatively interpreted as agricultural trenches for the propogation of crops (6)

<1> Dodgson J McN, 1970-2, 1981, The Place-Names of Cheshire, vol.V(i) (Book). SCH3228.

<2> Mapping Medieval Chester Project, 2011, Digital Archive of Mapping Medieval Chester website (Digital Archive). SCH6761.

<3> Haswell, George. W, 1907, Notes on Chester Street-names past and present (Northern Section) (Article in Journal). SCH5548.

<4> Brown, W, 1907, Notes on Chester Street-names past and present (Article in Journal). SCH5549.

<5> de Lavaux, A, 1745, Plan of the City and Castle of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH5255.

<6> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 2011, Proposed New Market Hall at Frodsham Street Car Park, Chester: an Archaeological Evaluation, R3105 (Client Report). SCH5493.