Monument record 12003 - Possibly Roman or Twelfth Century Lime Kiln, Site of Former Library, St John Street

Excavations carried out at the site of the former library, St John St. between 1988 and 1989 allowed for the recording of the medieval defensive ditch at this location (CHER 12001/2), in addition to a kiln that had been built in a hollow into the bank against the face of the buried Roman wall (8). According to another source (9), however, it was cut into the silts that had built up within the cut feature interpreted as the Saxon period defensive ditch. The kiln was interpreted as a lime kiln, in a position that likely connected it to the building of the city walls, which would have required large quantities of lime for the production of the vast amounts of mortar employed in its construction. What little ceramic evidence there was in the demolition fill of the kiln is compatible with the conventional view that the walls were erected at some time in the twelfth century. Upon becoming obsolete, the kiln was demolished and its outer (eastern) half was then removed by the cutting of a new ditch, larger than its Roman predecessor, which completed the improvements to the defences (8). Please note that although most of the available written information on this feature, which is largely unpublished (e.g. 9, 10), explain that it is a medieval feature, one geomagnetic report (11) dated samples taken from the stone block lining to late in the Roman period, during the fourth century.

<1> Simpson, F., 1910, The Walls of Chester, /30 (Book). SCH3255.

<2> Pevsner N & Hubbard E, 1971, The Buildings of England: Cheshire, /155 (Book). SCH3078.

<4> Harris, B.E., 1979, Bartholomew City Guides - Chester, /93 (Book). SCH394.

<5> Morris, Rupert H (Rev.), 1894, Chester in the Plantagenet & Tudor Reigns, /245 (Book). SCH946.

<7> Donald Insall Associates, Chester City Walls Conservation Management Plan, R3251 (Client Report). SCH6603.

<8> Mason, D. J. P., 1994/5, 'And the Walls came Tumbling Down': Excavations Adjacent to the City Walls in St John Street 1988/9 (Article in Journal). SCH5840.

<9> Mason, D. J. P., 1989, Excavations on the site of the former Public Library Buildings, St John Street, Chester Medieval - Post medieval phases (Unpublished Report). SCH6877.

<10> Mason, D. J. P., 1989, Excavations on the site of the former Public Library Buildings, St John Street, Chester Roman - Late Saxon Phases (Unpublished Report). SCH6875.

<11> Geomagnetism Laboratory, 1989, Magnetic Dating Report: St John Street, Chester 1988-89, R3362 (Client Report). SCH6882.