Monument record 8419 - Roman narrow, east-west building at Princess Street (insula 21)

The area to the north of the elliptical building comprised a large area at least 100m by 50m known as insula 21 and contained several substantial buildings. The first of these was a narrow east-west aligned range along the south side of the area facing the elliptical building (CHER 8419), this structure was approximately 35-40m long and fronted by a colonnaded portico. A second narrow range with its long axis on a north-south alignment (CHER 8420). Both of these structures appeared to remain more or less throughout the Roman period.

The reconstructed plan of the narrow east-west aligned range comprises a small granary at the west end followed by six small rooms approximately 5m wide. A colonnaded portico was encountered to the south of the range.

First excavated in 1939 by Prof Newstead and Droop the earliest evidence of this range comprised a series of closely set parallel wall foundations on a north-south alignment and at least one substantial buttress interpreted as a granary store. Traces of two parallel walls on an east-west alignment were subsequently identified in 1965 and interpreted as exterior walls however no further exploration was possible at that time. (2)

There have been several interpretations of this building beginning with Newstead and Droop’s original interpretation of a single granary structure in 1939. Following the next major phase of excavations on the site between 1978 and 1982 it was suggested that this structure was linked to the water tank recorded to the east (now believed to be part of CHER 8420) and separated from the remaining structures in insula 21 by an east-west road. The colonnaded portico now attributed to this structure was originally believed to be part of the complex of structures at the elliptical building site. (3)

<1> Newstead, R and J P Droop, 1939, Excavations at Chester, 1939. The Princess Street Clearance Area (Article in Journal). SCH5707.

<2> Mason, D. J. P., 2000, Excavations at Chester: The Elliptical building: An image of the Roman world? (Monograph). SCH6158.

<3> Strickland, T.J., 1983, Chester: Excavations in the Princess Street / Hunter Street Area, 1978-1982. A First Report on Discoveries of the Roman Period (Article in Journal). SCH5815.

<4> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, p144 (Book). SCH3556.

<5> Strickland, T.J., 1988, Excavations in the Princess Street, Hunter Street, Hunter's Walk and Northgate Street areas 1978-1987: Roman Major Buildings (Unpublished Report). SCH6857.