Monument record 8201/10 - Evidence of the North Rampart and Roman Deposits at Water Tower Street

<1> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 2015, An Archaeological Assessment of Proposed Remedial Works at King Charles Tower Steps and North Gate Access Steps, City Walls, Chester (Client Report). SCH7965.

Roman rampart remains recorded at the north end of a linear trench at a very shallow depth below current ground level. The deep soil recorded at the south end of the trench produced solely Roman period ceramics in good, fresh condition and was considered to represent significant archaeology at this location.
The greater majority of the central part of trench 1 was occupied by a large service trench backfilled with concrete, along with further service trenching (containing electricity mains). At the north end of the trench, between the City Wall and the road kerb, another service trench was exposed. This service trench had cut through a c. 0.12m thick layer of cinders and clay located beneath the current pavement surface. Layer (300) was removed revealing a layer of firm, grey clay interpreted as the 1st-century AD earthen rampart of the Roman fortress defences. The clay rampart material was noted at a depth of c. 0.20m below current ground level and, where exposed in the side of the service trench, was shown to extend to a depth in excess of 0.30m.