Monument record 10695 - Post medieval malting kiln at Princess Street

Archaeological investigations as part of a major redevelopment of the Hunter Street/Princess Street area identified several phases of medieval and later activity.

Investigations carried out in 1981 at the Hunter Street School site identified traces of a third kiln structure in the north west part of the site approximately 9m east of the medieval corn drier (CHER 10163). This kiln [F20] was the largest of the three kilns identified during the investigations and consisted of a stone lined flue terminating in a circular chamber or vent which was set in the centre of a circular clay floor. A stoking area ran back at right angles from the vent.

The flue consisted of a channel lined with sandstone walling with a width tapering from 1.15m at its southern end to 0.75m at the northern end were it ran into the vent. The walls have largely been robbed out with only the lower two courses remaining in situ while the floor consisted of a sandy charcoal material with evidence of heating.

The vent was circular, approximately 1m in diameter, and appears to have been built continuously with the flue. The stoking area comprised a rectangular cut 2.4m by 0.9m revetted with stone and running at right angles east from the south end of the flue. Access was via two steps and a slope from ground level to the mouth of the flue. The circular floor of the main chamber measured 4.5m in diameter and was 0.12m thick. It was identified 0.1m below the present ground surface. Traces of a wall on the outside edge of the floor on the western side consisted of a single course of irregularly shaped blocks. (1)

Morris M.G, 1981, Site Notes: Hunter Street School 1981 (Excavation Archive). SCH6991.

<1> Chester Archaeology, 1980, Princess Street Excavations: Medieval and post medieval features (Unpublished Report). SCH6806.

<2> Grosvenor Museum Excavations Newsletter, 1981, Summary of Excavations in Chester (Newsletter). SCH6267.