Monument record 7417 - Prehistoric ditch boundaries, Saighton Camp

<1> Northern Archaeological Associates, 2006, Saighton camp, Chester. Phase 1 Development Archaeological Evaluation Report, R3383 (Client Report). SCH6933.

Evidence of a possible prehistoric or Roman field system were first identified during trial trenching beneath the Officers Quarters of the army camp in 2006, with further evidence recorded during the final phase of work. The evidence consisted of two parallel U shaped ditches [777, 778] running in a sinuous form on a north-west to south-east alignment. Ditch 777 was approximately 114m in length and possibly continued into the excavation area at the Officers Quarters [6111]. Ditch 778 was 84m in length. Both survived to a similar depth of 0.35m.

<2> Northern Archaeological Associates, 2013, Saighton Camp, Chester. The Roman and Medieval Archaeology, R3550 (Client Report). SCH7335.

A third ditch [242] was also encountered to the south-west of the two parallel ditches. Ditch 242 measured 22.6m in length and survived to a depth of 0.44m, it had a V shaped profile and was aligned north-west/south-east.

<3> Wood, P.N and Griffiths, D.G, 2022, Excavations at Chester. Roman land division and a probable villa in the hinterland of Deva, Archaeopress Roman Archaeology 93 (Monograph). SCH9332.

Published article discussing the findings of the archaeological programme of evaluation at Saighton Camp. The earliest phase of activity comprised two ditches (P1 and P2) described by source 1. These were roughly parallel and orientated west/north-west to east/south-east. Although neither ditch contained any finds, they were cut by the Roman field system, so together with their completely different alignment, this suggests a prehistoric date for these features. Ditches P1 and P2 were sinuous in plan, with the distance between them narrowing from approximately 116m to 84m from west to east. The ditches were of a similar depth (maximum 0.35m), although both survived in some areas as little more than soil marks. Both ditches had similar U-shaped profiles, were up to 1.1m in width and contained a variety of clay-silt fills.