Monument record 8640 - Roman Ditches and Features, 51 - 57 Upper Northgate Street

Archaeological investigations to the rear of 51 - 57 Upper Northgate Street recorded a number of Roman features, including possible drainage and boundary ditches, and agricultural features, dug into bedrock and sealed by a medieval cultivation layer (1). Although the site is within the presumed extent of the Roman cemetery north of the fortress, no evidence of human remains was found. The features uncovered included a potential Roman boundary ditch, with associated drainage channels, waste pit and potential agricultural feature. Also, within the car park off Upper Northgate Street, a shallow Roman ditch was identified running just off an east - west alignment. This may have been a roadside ditch associated with a minor road leading to a property or small defended settlement off Chichester Street (1). All these features were cut into the bedrock and sealed by a medieval cultivation layer. Another ditch was also found off Chichester Street (CHER 8663), but because of its military style, is considered as a separate monument (1).

<1> L-P Archaeology, 2013, Archaeological Evaluation Report for 51-57 Upper Northgate Street, Chester, R3511 (Client Report). SCH7213.

Recent archaeological investigations to the rear of 51-57 Upper Northgate Street, Chester recorded traces of a medieval cultivation soil. The soil layer was identified in trench 2 as [106] as a firm layer of red brown sand approximately 0.1m thick. A different deposit of soft, orange brown loam [121] measuring 0.2m thick was also identified in trench 3 and was interpreted as an agricultural soil.

<2> L-P Archaeology, 2016, Archaeological Watching Brief Report for 51-57 Upper Northgate Street (Client Report). SCH8089.

Watching Brief in 2015 identified a 1.4m wide by 0.4m deep Vcut ditch running north-south across the centre of the site. This was identified at 28.6mOD cut into the bedrock. The fill was a moderately compact mid brown loam, which contained only Roman ceramic finds. This is thought to be a boundary ditch for a roadside settlement. Finds recovered from were all of Roman date, identified as 1st to 3rd century material. The design of the development specifically protected this ditch.

The archaeological watching brief has revealed some interesting new information regarding this area of Chester. It is clear that the area was active during the Roman period, likely by a small roadside settlement with a secondary defensive ditch to the north of the fortress.
The fragments of Roman CBM from the Upper Northgate Street site are of local/regional significance and indicate the presence of buildings roofed with ceramic tiles in the vicinity; probably spanning the late 1st to late 4th century AD.