Monument record 10348 - Late medieval building at Foregate Street

Archaeological investigations in 1991 and 1992 at 34-36 Foregate Street identified a complex series of deposits from the medieval to post medieval periods. The investigations involved three evaluation trenches to the rear of 34 Foregate Street in 1991 while in 1992 a larger trench was excavated across the front of both plots with another larger trench to the rear of No 36 Foregate Street.

Evidence of a timber framed building of late medieval date was recorded during archaeological investigations at No 34 Foregate Street in 1991. The features included three postholes [Features 46, 50, 52] and a beam slot [Feature 44] and a floor surface recorded in trench 1 close to the Foregate Street frontage. Its location was sufficiently close to the street to suggest it fronted directly onto the street in the medieval period, probably forming the western side of a property later known as 34 Foregate Street. Dating of the building was limited however as only a single fragment of fifteenth century pottery was recovered. (1)

Subsequent excavations carried out close to the street frontage in 1992 identified further traces of a medieval building consisting of several floor surfaces overlain by a later soil deposit containing disturbed material from the 13th to 18th century. (2)


The excavations at 34 Foregate Street identified five broad phases of activity beginning with structural activity in the 13th-14th century (CHER 10347) followed by late medieval structural activity in the 15th century (CHER 10348). In the post medieval period the rear of the property recorded substantial evidence of industrial activity from the 17th and 18th century (CHER 10349) before the Union Hall was built (CHER 10088). The excavations at 36 Foregate Street, however, identified four broad phases of activity beginning with traces of a hearth and a cellar feature in the medieval period (CHER 10185) followed by substantial industrial activity in the post medieval period from the 15th-16th century onwards (CHER 10186). In the 18th or 19th century a timber framed building was constructed close to the street frontage (CHER 10405) before the Union Hall was built over the entire plot (CHER 10088). (1)

<1> Chester Archaeology, 1991, An Evaluation Excavation at 32-36 Foregate Street, Chester, September 1991, R2092 (Client Report). SCH4108.

<2> Reid M.L., 2011, An Archaeological Excavation at 32-36 Foregate Street, Chester (Client Report). SCH6280.

<3> Nenk B. Margeson S & Hurley M, 1993, Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1992 (Article in Journal). SCH5638.

<4> Ponsford, Michael, 1993, Post-Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1992 (Article in Journal). SCH6068.