Monument record 7422/4 - Roman Watering Hole, Well and Stock Control, 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 water-hole, well, and stock-control feature were recorded. Excavation of a large pit (Context 1662), on the west side of the site, indicated that it was a water-hole. Its relatively simple form may not, however, been representative of its original complexity; it may have been lined with a wooden or stone structure, as appears to be the case with its successor (Context 1689). Excavation of a second pit (Context 1689) revealed a sophisticated well topped by a stone well head and it is thought to have superseded the large pit (above) adjacent to where it was located. This apparent sequence, while not proven, seems likely on the basis that it would have been unnecessary and impractical for both wells to operate contemporaneously alongside each other.

Construction of the well and waterhole is thought to have coincided with the extension of the field system into this area; the waterhole and well became enclosed by a system of ditches (CHER 7422/3), presumably intended to control stock while they were waiting or being watered. Third and fourth century pottery recovered from the various ditch segments indicate that the elaborate field system had a long life and continued in use after the abandonment of the well and waterhole.

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 Network Archaeology, 2016, DRAFT: Excavations Of a Late Prehistoric and Romano-British Agricultural Site (Unpublished Report).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

Mid to late Iron Age - Two wells, a pond, and possibly a pit can be assigned to this phase.

<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 3: Late Iron Age/early Roman The dating evidence for this period is provided by two radiocarbon dates:

To the north of well (CHER 7421) was a second waterlogged feature, (1662), which was interpreted as a pond or watering hole. The primary fill of this pond, (1714), produced
a date of 360 cal bc–cal ad 60 (Beta 196796).
To the east of this feature was a third waterlogged feature, (1769), which was also interpreted as a well. The timber revetment, (2028), produced a date of 410 cal bc–cal
ad 220 (Beta 196798).

The broad range of the last two dates provides a substantial overlap with the date assigned to Period 2 (Mid- to late Iron Age), but less confidence can be placed in an entirely pre-Roman origin for features
(1662) and (1769). Furthermore, both features had Roman pottery associated with them, whilst the Period 2 feature (CHER 7421) did not.