Monument record 7418/1 - Roman field system and trackways, Saighton Camp

<1> Northern Archaeological Associates, 2013, Saighton Camp, Chester. The Roman and Medieval Archaeology, R3550 (Client Report). SCH7335.

A programme of archaeological investigations at Saighton Camp have identified evidence of a Roman field system over much of the area comprising a series of four enclosures that were separated by two trackways, one aligned north-west to south-east with a second crossing it on a north-east to south-west alignment. Although all the enclosures extended beyond the boundaries of the excavation, it was estimated that one enclosed at area of at least 8.4ha. Dating was limited, however, with only two sherds of pottery of a second to third century AD date.

Enclosure A in the north-west corner was identified during excavations in 2006 (see sources 2-3) at the Officers Quarters and again during recording over the main site in 2012 (see source 5), it consisted of a northern arm [772; 6151; 6158] and a southern arm [772]. In 2006, ditches [6151, 6158] were identified on a broadly north-west to south-east alignment and measured 280m in length. What appears to be a continuation of the same ditch [772] was also recorded in 2012, measuring 300m in length. The ditch on both occasions appears to be U shaped in profile measuring between 0.45m and 1.03m in width and surviving to a depth of just 0.05m to 0.35m. A series of shallow fills were recorded within the ditch profile including one containing the only dating evidence for the field system. Ditch [772] extended west from ditch [773] for approximately 170m and was identified again as ditch [4] to the west of a modern culverted stream for a length of 100m. A possible internal division [38] was recorded within the main enclosure on a parallel alignment to the southern arm.

Enclosure B in the south-west corner consisted of the eastern arm [467] measuring approximately 150m in length and a western arm [775] measuring 170m in length. Ditch [239/241] encountered at the western extent of the excavations ran on a parallel alignment to ditch [467] and may have formed part of the main enclosure or a sub-division within it. The ditch for this enclosure was infilled with a series of clay-silt and silty-clay fills similar to those encountered in Enclosure A. Evidence of a small enclosure was identified in the southern extent of Enclosure B comprising possible ditch feature [451] on a south-west to north-east alignment with a return to the north-west and a possible gully feature [456]. Although no dating evidence was encountered, they appear to predate the later medieval remains.

Enclosure C was the least well represented with ditch [484] representing the western arm and ditch [530] the northern arm. Ditch [484] was recovered over a total distance of 170m in two sections while only 20m of ditch [530] could be reliably identified due to modern truncation. A possible internal feature was identified in ditch [505] measuring 30m in length and extending south from the western arm.

Enclosure D in the north-east corner comprised a western arm measuring a total distance of 290m over the 2006 and 2012 excavations and a southern arm measuring 100m in length. The western arm comprises ditch [6169] approximately 120m in length, recorded in the area of the former Officers Quarters with evidence of a later recut [6173]. A continuation of this ditch [774] was identified during later excavations in the main site in 2012 measuring 120m in length.

The excavator has suggested that the pattern exhibited at Saighton is suggestive of ‘centuriation’ of the landscape, as seen elsewhere in the Roman world. ‘Centuriation’ was the official method for the division of land used by the Roman and was characterised by a regular layout of grid like enclosures. The original purpose was the allocation of land to retired soldiers and although it is commonly recorded in the Mediterranean, it has so far not been found in Britain. At Saighton, however, the enclosures appear smaller than those identified elsewhere in the Empire.

<2> Northern Archaeological Associates, 2006, Saighton camp, Chester. Phase 1 Development Archaeological Evaluation Report, R3383 (Client Report). SCH6933.

<3> Northern Archaeological Associates, 2007, Phase 1 Development, Saighton Camp, Chester: Post Excavation Assessment Report, R3572 (Client Report). SCH7337.

<4> Northern Archaeological Associates, 2008, Archaeological Evaluation Report, Saighton Camp, A55 link Road, Chester, R3386 (Client Report). SCH6936.

<5> Northern Archaeological Associates, 2013, Saighton Camp, Chester. The Roman and Medieval Archaeology, R3550 (Client Report). SCH7335.

<6> 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.

2022 published account of the results of the programme of archaeological mitigation at Saighton Camp. The Roman field system consisted of two trackways, aligned from north-west to south-east and north-east to south-west, which met at a crossroads. These formed the corners of four large enclosures (R1-4), some with internal divisions. The largest (R1) enclosed an area of at least 8.4 hectares. At least part of the field system appears to have continued in use during the late medieval period and perhaps afterwards.

Ground levelling during the construction and use of Saighton Camp had heavily truncated large parts of the Roman field system. In places the ditches survived as little more than soil marks. The extent of truncation was confirmed by ridge and furrow, which was clearly upstanding in some areas of the site on early post-war aerial photographs and therefore likely to have formerly been present in other areas. Although the bases of furrows were found on part of the Roman settlement in the south-east part of the excavation, elsewhere the only evidence was the remains of ceramic field drains installed in their bases. Given this level of truncation, many smaller subdivisions and other features of the field system must have been lost.

The trackways which defined the four enclosures produced no evidence of metalled surfaces. Occasional small rounded stones were found in the ditch fills, and given the truncated nature of the ditches themselves, it is assumed that any track metalling had been completely removed by later activity. The most extensive remains of the trackside ditches were found in the northern and western parts of the site; no evidence for the trackside ditches was found in the eastern part of the site where extensive disturbance had been caused by the presence of large, post-medieval marl pits and subsequent attempts in the twentieth century to fill them and stabilise the area for use as a parade ground.

Direct dating evidence from the trackway ditches was limited to a single fragment of samian ware of mid-second to third-century date, a trumpet brooch, two sherds of first- to second-century coarseware pottery and at least twelve fragments of brick and tile of Roman date. Another fragment of samian ware and a sherd of mortarium were also recovered from later buried soil layers.

In areas where both flanking ditches could be traced, the north-west to south-east track was c. 20–29m wide, and the south-west to north-east track c. 13.5–22m. The ditches varied considerably in size and in profile. They were up to 2m wide and 0.7m deep, but more typically 0.5–1.1m wide and 0.05–0.45m deep. Flat or U-shaped bases were common and most had two or three silty fills, suggesting they had been open for some time. Recuts of the ditches were seen in several areas. Additionally, at least part of the trackway ditch system appears to have been cut twice in the late medieval period and possibly after, suggesting the route was in use – possibly continuously – for more than a thousand years. The track may have been re-used to provide access to the medieval settlement excavated at the southern edge of the former camp (CHER 7419/2), or to the moated site (CHER 1946) to its east.

The settlement uncovered at Saighton Camp appears to be the northern portion of a large, well organised, rural Roman site, linked to an agricultural hinterland. The arrangement of enclosures and buildings, and their relationship with the trackways of the field system do not indicate a roadside settlement of the type seen at Heronbridge, nor does it appear to have been a variation of the enclosed farmstead observed in the region.