Monument record 10647 - Post Medieval Retaining Walls, Drain and Post Holes, 1 Abbey Street

During archaeological excavations immediately to the east of Bishop's House (1 Abbey St.) in 1998, medieval and post medieval walling was recorded (1). Following the collapse of a medieval wall running north-south and abutting the former Chapel of St Thomas (CHER 10640/10), a new retaining wall was erected at some time during the post medieval period (1)

This wall incorporated a number of reused medieval architectural fragments and on its western side it served to revet the remains of the medieval wall and the soil that had accumulated against it. To the east, where the ground level was much deeper, a rough drain was constructed of sandstone slabs and capped with stone. The rectangular channel was full of silt. The ground surface adjacent to the drain produced pottery dated to the seventeenth to early eighteenth century. Following these two features, a new retaining wall was erected over the remains of the first one, and three post holes were cut into the area of the drain that had become filled with silt. They are assumed to represent some sort of garden feature (1).

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