Monument record 10355 - Great Barn of St Werburgh's Abbey

A tithe barn belonging to St Werburgh’s Abbey is said to have been located within the northwest part of the city walls, or the area known as the Crofts, somewhere in the area where the Chester Royal Infirmary could be found (2, 3). King St., formerly a medieval route running roughly east – west from the abbey to this area was formerly known as ‘Barne lane’ or ‘bernelone’ throughout much of the medieval period (3).

The name obviously suggests the presence of barn or grange belonging to the abbot on or near the street. Excavations carried out in the north-eastern part of this quadrant, just at the west end of King St. in 1998 did reveal extensive medieval remains, including evidence of several buildings and surfaces, and a prominent roadway (see CHER 10357, CHER 10358, CHER 10359, CHER 10381) (1). Note that none of these remains can be attributed to the purported barn with any degree of certainty, and so the records are not linked with each other.

<1> Chester Archaeology, 1992, An Evaluation Excavation at Chester Royal Infirmary, March 1992, R2095 (Client Report). SCH4105.

<2> Malcom Reid, 1998, Chester Royal Infirmary Archaeological Excavation 1998 (DRAFT) (Unpublished Report). SCH6699.

<3> Dodgson J McN, 1970-2, 1981, The Place-Names of Cheshire, vol.V(i) (Book). SCH3228.