Monument record 11038 - Medieval Pits and Part of Cellar, Western Seating Bank Amphitheatre

A considerable number of pits and structures of medieval date were identified during the excavation of the Roman Amphitheatre between 1965 and 1969 (2). In the western part of the seating bank were a series of cess pits, which contained residual Roman pottery and medieval ceramics including fragments of jugs and cooking jars, suggesting a thirteenth century date. Feature 4 was the bottom portion of a small stone cellar, with a sandstone flagged floor with some brick patching and the remains of the stone walls incorporating reused stone fragments and part of a quern. Towards the east end there were the stumps of stone supports projecting from the walls, but their original purpose was not clear. Lifting the floor of this cellar revealed an occupation layer that contained (CHER 11039) a sherd of a thirteenth century cooking pot (2).

<1> Newstead, R (Prof.), 1932, The Roman Amphitheatre at Chester, Newstead R & Droop J P 1932 29/38-40 (Article in Journal). SCH5708.

<2> Thompson A, 1975, The excavations of the Roman amphitheatre at Chester, 105/127-239 Thompson F H 1976 (Article in Journal). SCH6162.

<3> Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Revised List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, City of Chester Extra Mural 1998/ 148 (Unpublished Report). SCH4570.