Monument record 10302 - Medieval activity at 15-23 Bridge Street east

A series of small test trenches excavated to the rear of 25-29 Bridge Street in 1996 identified traces of several phases of medieval activity. The site was formerly known as the offices of the Chester Chronicle and print works. Although the evidence remains scattered across the site, it was possible to identify a series of medieval deposits from the 13th through to the 15th century.

The earliest medieval evidence consisted of a series of cultivation soils recorded in trenches T (Context 69) and U (Contexts 79, 88). (2)

Subsequent archaeological investigations to the rear of 15-31 Bridge Street in 2001 (part of Debenhams) identified multi-phased activity from the Roman through to the modern period. Although the medieval activity largely comprised pits, ditches and cultivation soils typical of what would be found in the rear medieval plots, the sheer quantity of finds recovered was remarkable. Medieval activity in plots 4 (19-23 Bridge Street Row) and 5 (15-17 Bridge Street Row) consisted of ephemeral pits and cultivation layers in the early half of the medieval period with structural features and definite pits appearing from the mid 14th century onwards.

The evidence from plot 4 consisted of a series of cultivation soils over much of the plot along with traces of a north-south aligned foundation trench and wall across the back of the plot. Plot 4 also contained evidence of a substantial construction pit for an oven. The oven was square in shape and constructed of dressed sandstone blocks with the stokehole and firing area and the northern end. The flue connecting the stokehole to the oven had two stones from the spanning arch still in situ at the northern end with a set of stone steps rising from east to west. The floor of the flue appeared to be cobbled with evidence of oxidation and burning .

The evidence from plot 5 was rather limited consisting of cultivation soils and a single pit feature. (1)

<1> Garner D, 2008, Excavations at Chester: 25 Bridge Street 2001. Two thousand years of urban life in microcosm (Monograph). SCH6160.

<2> Chester Archaeology, 1996, 25-29 Bridge Street, Chester; trial excavation., R2689 (Client Report). SCH4797.

<3> Beaumont James T, 2001, Medieval Britain and Ireland in 2000 (Article in Journal). SCH5644.

<4> Chester Archaeological Society, 2002: Part 1, The Chester Antiquary (Booklet-Leaflet). SCH6488.

<5> Ponsford, Michael, 2001, Post-Medieval Britain and Ireland in 2000 (Article in Journal). SCH6069.

<6> Bruce, Rachel, 2002, Chester Chronicle (Newspaper-Magazine). SCH6171.

<7> Chester Archaeology, 2001, Dig News (Newsletter). SCH6406.

<8> Chester Archaeology, 2002, Dig News (Newsletter). SCH6386.

<9> Chester Archaeology, 2002, Dig News (Newsletter). SCH6387.

<10> Chester Archaeology, 2003, Dig News (Newsletter). SCH6391.

<11> Chester City Council Archaeology Service, 2002, The Past Uncovered (Newsletter). SCH6031.

<12> Chester City Council Archaeology Service, 2009, The Past Uncovered (Newsletter). SCH6048.

<13> Chester City Council Archaeology Service, 2002, Annual Review 2001-2002 (Newsletter). SCH6058.

<14> Gifford and Partners, 2002, Debenhams, Chester: Post-excavation Assessment Report, R3162 (Client Report). SCH6253.