Monument record 10924 - 18th century cottage at Russell Street

Archaeological investigations at 20 City Road in 2001 identified traces of a cottage of a probable 18th century date. Trench 1 of the evaluation identified a red sandstone mortared wall on a north-south alignment [feature 89] abutting a wall abutting the first on an east-west alignment [feature 90] apparently forming a room of the cottage with an internal floor surface [feature 93]. A second wall [feature 118] also extends east-west from the first wall and may form part of a privy as cess deposits were recorded nearby. (1)

Further archaeological investigation at the site in 2007 identified further remains of a series of 18th century cottages fronting onto Russell Street. These appear to relate to the structures recorded on late 19th century Ordnance Survey maps the earliest of which appear to date to around 1789. The evidence from this phase of investigation indicated an earlier sandstone phase of construction with the terraces replaced in brick sometime in the 19th century. The sandstone phase consisted of three walls [contexts 240; 241; 244] and a brick floor [249]. (2)

<1> Oxford Archaeology North, 2002, Land at City Road, Chester, Cheshire: Archaeological Evaluation, R2710b (Client Report). SCH6246.

<2> L - P Archaeology, 2009, Archaeological Excavation Report for Land at 20 City Road, Chester, R2897 (Client Report). SCH5184.