Monument record 8513 - Roman Fortress Drainage System

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Summary

The Roman drainage system comprised a complicated network of drains and pipes of varying sizes distributed throughout the fortress along the main roads and under the buildings. The smallest class of drains comprised the open shallow drains surrounding the buildings commonly referred to as eaves drip channels. The second category comprised small covered culverts designed to take the run-off from several eaves drip channels and funnel them into the larger main drainage system. They consisted of parallel lines of roughly cut blocks with little or no mortar, a simple clay, sand or rock base and a covering of small slabs. Several examples of these culverts have been recorded within the fortress associated with buildings such as the Elliptical building and at the large courtyard building. They have also been found parallel to minor roads at Commonhall Street and St Michael’s Arcade and major internal roads at Bridge Street (via praetoria) and Eastgate Street (via principalis). The third category of drains consisted of the main network designed to transport the bulk of the waste water under and beyond the defences. These were much more substantial structures being 1.5m below contemporary ground level and measuring 0.9m-1.2m in height internally. These more substantial drains have been encountered on a number of occasions in the intervallum zone where they run parallel with the intervallum road. Other occasional examples of large sewers or drains have been recorded in the fortress at Abbey Court and the Cathedral, however, their origin remains questionable and they may in fact be medieval or later.

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<1> Mason, D. J. P., 2005, Exacavations at Chester: The Roman fortress baths, excavations and recording 1732-1998 (Monograph). SCH6157.

<2> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 2010, Installation of a New Sewer System on King's Mews, St. Martin's Way, Chester: Watching Brief and Rapid Archaeological Excavation (Client Report). SCH5396.

<3> Thompson F.H, 1967, Notes on Two Chester Building Sites, 1960 (Article in Journal). SCH5886.

<4> Webster, Graham, 1953, Excavations on the Legionary Defences at Chester, 1949-52 (Part ii) (Article in Journal). SCH5727.

<5> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I (Book). SCH3556.

<6> Droop, J P and R Newstead, 1931, Excavations in the Deanery Field, Chester, 1928 (Article in Journal). SCH6475.

<7> Droop, J P and R Newstead, 1931, Excavations in the Deanery Field, Chester, 1928, Part II: the Finds (Article in Journal). SCH6476.

<8> Newstead, R (Prof.), 1928, Report on the Excavations on the Site of the Roman Fortress at the Deanery Field, Chester (Article in Journal). SCH6477.

<9> Thompson F.H, 1967, Excavations on the site of Woolworth's, Chester, 1959 (Article in Journal). SCH5885.

<10> Chester Archaeology, Various, Brief notes on discoveries in Chester (Written Communication). SCH6996.

<11> Chester Archaeology, 1991, 12-22 Commonhall Street, Chester: An Archaeological Evaluation, R2091 (Client Report). SCH4109.

<12> Newstead, Robert (Prof.), 1926, Records of Archaeological Finds at Chester (Article in Journal). SCH5955.

<13> Balfour Beatty, 2012, Chester City Centre, Cheshire Gas Improvement Works, R3321 (Client Report). SCH6784.

<14> McPeake J.C. Bulmer M & Rutter J.A, 1980, Excavations in the garden of No. 1 Abbey Green, Chester, 1975-77 (Article in Journal). SCH5924.

Sources/Archives (14)

  • <1> Monograph: Mason, D. J. P.. 2005. Exacavations at Chester: The Roman fortress baths, excavations and recording 1732-1998. Survey Report No 13.
  • <2> Client Report: Earthworks Archaeological Services. 2010. Installation of a New Sewer System on King's Mews, St. Martin's Way, Chester: Watching Brief and Rapid Archaeological Excavation. R3032. N/A. N/A.
  • <3> Article in Journal: Thompson F.H. 1967. Notes on Two Chester Building Sites, 1960. Journal of the Chester Archaeological and Historic Society. 54.
  • <4> Article in Journal: Webster, Graham. 1953. Excavations on the Legionary Defences at Chester, 1949-52 (Part ii). Journal of the Chester Archaeological and Historic Society. Volume 40.
  • <5> Book: Harris, B.E. (ed). 1987. Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I.
  • <6> Article in Journal: Droop, J P and R Newstead. 1931. Excavations in the Deanery Field, Chester, 1928. Annals of Archaeology and Anthropology (Liverpool). Volume 18, Numbers 1-2.
  • <7> Article in Journal: Droop, J P and R Newstead. 1931. Excavations in the Deanery Field, Chester, 1928, Part II: the Finds. Annals of Archaeology and Anthropology (Liverpool). Volume 18, Numbers 1-2.
  • <8> Article in Journal: Newstead, R (Prof.). 1928. Report on the Excavations on the Site of the Roman Fortress at the Deanery Field, Chester. Annals of Archaeology and Anthropology (Liverpool). Volume 15.
  • <9> Article in Journal: Thompson F.H. 1967. Excavations on the site of Woolworth's, Chester, 1959. Journal of the Chester Archaeological and Historic Society. 54.
  • <10> Written Communication: Chester Archaeology. Various. Brief notes on discoveries in Chester.
  • <11> Client Report: Chester Archaeology. 1991. 12-22 Commonhall Street, Chester: An Archaeological Evaluation. R2091. S0093. N/A. R2091.
  • <12> Article in Journal: Newstead, Robert (Prof.). 1926. Records of Archaeological Finds at Chester. Journal of the Chester Archaeological and Historic Society. Volume 27, Part 2.
  • <13> Client Report: Balfour Beatty. 2012. Chester City Centre, Cheshire Gas Improvement Works. R3321. N/A. N/A. R3321.
  • <14> Article in Journal: McPeake J.C. Bulmer M & Rutter J.A. 1980. Excavations in the garden of No. 1 Abbey Green, Chester, 1975-77. Journal of the Chester Archaeological and Historic Society. 63.

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Location

Grid reference Centred SJ 405 664 (481m by 551m) (16 map features)
Map sheet SJ46NW
Civil Parish CHESTER NON PARISH AREA, CHESTER, CHESHIRE WEST AND CHESTER
Historic Township/Parish/County CHESTER, CHESTER HOLY TRINITY, CHESHIRE

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Record last edited

Sep 30 2024 4:41PM