Monument record 10646 - Medieval Wall and Rubbish Deposits, 1 Abbey Street

During archaeological excavations immediately to the east of Bishop's House (1 Abbey St.) in 1998, medieval (this monument) and post medieval walls (CHER 10647) were recorded (1). An east-west wall ran along the north part of the excavation area, and is assumed to have been part of the chancel wall of the Chapel of St Thomas (CHER 10640/10). Abutting this wall was a north-south wall, with seven courses of the western face preserved, and one course of the eastern face preserved. It appeared to have collapsed eastwards, and a fourteenth to fifteenth century floor tile was found in deposits associated with its core (1).

West of the wall was a considerable depth of sandy deposits containing a large amount of medieval pottery dating to between the thirteenth to fifteenth centuries, and above this a darker soil had accumulated which contained roof slate. The excavators suggested that it may have served to enclose the eastern side of the abbey court, and note that its line has been perpetuated by the boundary between numbers 1 and 3 Abbey St. The deposits that built up against this wall were interpreted as domestic (or abbey kitchen) rubbish, although it seemed strange that rubbish would have been allowed to accumulate against the wall of the chapel (1).

<1> Chester Archaeology, 1998, The Bishop's House, 1 Abbey Street, Chester: Archaeological Watching Brief, R2694 (Client Report). SCH4802.