Monument record 7422/3 - Roman Field System, Chester Business Park Excavations

<1> Network Archaeology, 2004, Chester Business Park, MBNA Lakeside, Chester: Archaeological Excavation, Areas F1-10, R14 and R15 (Client Report). SCH6301.

During excavations at the Chester Business Park (MBNA Development) a field system (Phase 4 in the sites internal sequence) was recorded. The main component of the site is a rectilinear field system that seems to have been maintained for the management of livestock, either on a seasonal basis or perhaps as a 'holding area' for cattle on the way to Chester. The field system would have been a dominant feature of the local landscape. The 'backbone' of the field system was a substantial east - west oriented ditch, which would have served to keep cattle away from the road, and two circular structures, while a gap in its course would have permitted cattle through for watering , perhaps on their way to markets in Chester. The Roman road appears to have formed the reference point for the laying out of the field system

<2> Network Archaeology, 2016, DRAFT: Excavations Of a Late Prehistoric and Romano-British Agricultural Site (Unpublished Report). SCH8071.

Field system - An east to west by north to south oriented rectilinear field system extended across most of the development area. The field system was characterised by numerous long, narrow fields, their lengths mainly oriented east to west. They were delineated by a combination of long ditches gullies and short slots.

<3> Garner, Dan, 2024, Chester Business Park 2003 A Summary of the Excavation of a Late Prehistoric and Roman Rural Site, vol 94. p 63-97 (Article in Journal). SCH9777.

Period 4: Roman. To the north of the road a rectilinear field system oriented east–west by north–south extended across most of the development area, parallel with the road and cutting Structures 1 and 3.( CHER7422/2) . It was characterised by numerous long, narrow fields, delineated by a combination of long ditches, gullies and short slots and with their lengths mainly oriented east to west. The longest and most substantial portion of a ditch uncovered by the excavation, (1707), ran for about 86m from east to west with an average width of just over 2m and an average depth of 0.89m. Pits and slots were recorded no further than 11m north of ditch (1707), which therefore appears to have marked the northern boundary of the site.