Monument record 719/1/2 - Condate - Roman fort defences, Cliff Villa, Castle Cliff

Late 1960s/1970 excavations which identified military-style remains in the area of Waterloo Road (potential annexe to main fort site?):-
ECH6287: 1970, Defences (ditch/rampart) at Cliff Villa
ECH3077: 1967-70, South of Waterloo Road (two-phase road and buildings, later furnaces and associated structures)
Also, in this phase of excavation - ECH3076: 1969, Pottery Kiln, 26 Waterloo Road; the find of the Northwich Helmet during construction of a sewer in Waterloo Road.

<1> Royal Archaeological Institute, 1845-Present, Archaeological Journal, Vol 128, p.35-6,Williams J.H and Kohut. P, 'Excavations at Northwich: Defence Section', 1971 (Journal/Periodical). SCH338.

An archaeological trench (trench 10), 26ft long by 8ft wide, was excavated in 1970 in the garden of Cliff Villa, Castle Cliff. A second trench, 14ft long, extended the investigated area further to the south. The excavation was initiated by The Northwich Archaeological Group, but when the significance of the results emerged, it was agreed that the work should continue with the assistance of staff from Manchester University. The excavation recorded a substantial 'military' ditch and rampart of two phases which were interpreted as the northern defences of the Flavian fort. The primary ditch, was approximately 18ft wide and was cut 5ft into the natural subsoil. The ditch was re-cut, in period II, to an increased width of 20ft, partly demolishing the primary rampart material which formed deliberate underpacking for the period II wall. The rampart was also of two periods. The primary rampart comprised brown, pebbly earth resting on a packed cobble and gravel raft, it was revetted on the front with turf. A robber trench of a stone wall up to 5 foot wide had been inserted into the face of the rampart in period 2. Several worked sandstone blocks were recorded. Also, two stakeholes discovered at the north end of the trench, were thought to represent a line of additional defence such as a fence of pointed stakes or 'thorn hedge'. At the far end of the trench a sandstone and cobble pack appears to have been a paved track running along the outside of the ditch. Only a few sherds of Flavian/Trajanic samian pottery were recovered, indicating that the start of period II was in the early second century.

<2> Cheshire County Council, 2002, Cheshire Historic Towns Survey: Vale Royal Borough Part 1: Archaeological Assessments, p.4 (Report). SCH4760.

The important strategic position of Northwich, together perhaps with the presence of brine springs, led to the establishment of an auxiliary fort on the west bank of the River Weaver in the area now known as Castle, elements of which were excavated from 1983 onwards (CHER 719/2/1). Two periods of military occupation were identified: the first began around AD 70 and the second finished around AD 140 and there was apparently a gap between the two phases. During the second phase the fort was reduced in size. Excavations in the interior discovered the remains of barrack blocks and a major courtyard building interpreted as a praetorium (commandant’s house). The rampart and ditch which was discovered to the north-east of the auxiliary fort in 1970 led to the interpretation of this area as also being an auxiliary fort. However, both would appear to be of a similar date, and reassessment by Jones (see source 3) has suggested that the rampart found in 1970 belonged to a military annexe of the main fort, rather than forming a separate fort.

<3> Jones G D B, 1992, Condate - Roman Northwich: The Last Hurrah (Unpublished Document). SCH3820.

The find of a kiln in Waterloo Road (CHER 719/0/20) , together with the considerable quantity of dumped first/second century AD pottery found at Weaver Street (CHER719/0/13), could indicate that Northwich was important for pottery production and could be regarded as an organised military annex, close to the fort.