Monument record 8181 - First Century Roman oven at the Bell Tower

Traces of a first century oven structure was recorded in the rampart area of the east wall during archaeological investigations at the site of the Bell Tower in the Cathedral grounds in 1971. The investigations recorded a series of archaeological features in the early Roman period. The earliest features identified consisted of a burnt/rake out area indicating a nearby oven, dating was limited to a single coin dated to AD 72. The oven was subsequently levelled (CHER 8181). A series of post holes on an east west alignment were then recorded, possibly representing a rampart building (CHER 8182). The southern wall of a second oven was then identified, again dating was limited to a single coin dated to AD 84-85 (CHER 8183). The whole site was subsequently covered by a surface of compacted cobbles of possible second century date (CHER 8507).

The oven itself presumably lay just beyond the excavated area to the north with the evidence comprising the spread of burnt material from raked out from the base of the oven during its lifetime. A single coin of Vespasian was recovered from the burnt deposit indicating a period of use in the late first century. (1)

<1> Chester Archaeology, 1971, Excavation records for the Bell Tower, Chester Cathedral (Unpublished Report). SCH6619.

<2> multiple authors, 1973, Excavation Reports and Summaries, p12 (Article in Journal). SCH5782.

<3> Anon, 1975, Abstract of Proceedings, p134 (Article in Journal). SCH5906.

<4> Longley D, 1977-1978, Longley Archive, no.545 (Paper Archive). SCH2005.

<5> Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies, 1970-Present, Britannia, 3/313 Wilson D R 1972 (Journal/Periodical). SCH445.

<6> Anon, 1973, September 1973: North West Newsletter. Excavations (Article in Journal). SCH6497.