Monument record 11468 - 17th century cess/tanning pit, 27 Grosvenor Park Road

<1> Gifford and Partners, 2001, Report on an Archaeological Watching Brief at Deva Garage, 27 Grosvenor Park Road, Chester, R3957 (Client Report). SCH8165.

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken in 2001 during groundworks at the former Deva Garage site, 27 Grosvenor Park Road. Post medieval deposits were encountered and include a cess or tanning pit. The contained a fill of soft, dark-grey silt/clay, with circa 10% of dark olive green cess, with 5% charcoal, mineralised wood and circa 5% straw. It also contained some seeds, a wooden dowel peg, two pipe bowls and pottery; the latter suggest a mid 17th century date.

A small sample was taken from the fill of the pit which consisted of primarily fibrous vegetable material; sieving revealed fragments of straw-like material, finely macerated grass, a small piece of possible daub and a plum stone. Pollen preservation was fairly good but consisted of mostly cereal with some grass. Fungal spores were also present in some quantity. The evidence from this sample is consistent with herbivorous faecal material, such as horse manure, with possible additional cess/midden waste.