Monument record 8429 - Evidence of a colonnaded building at White Friars

Evidence for a Roman structure facing south was recorded at the junction of White Friars and Bolland’s Court in 1884. Redevelopment of the properties and their cellars on either side of Bolland’s Court (No’s 10 & 12a White Friars) was carried out by the then owner Mr F Bullins. The initial discovery comprised portions of a substantial colonnaded building facing south encountered at a depth of 1.2m and continuing to a depth of 2.1m.

The colonnade appears to have comprised a stylobate foundation of which a section some 6m in length was discovered along with two square plinths of columns approximately 60cm in diameter. The foundation was trace for a further 4.26m under the adjacent property to the west (12 White Friars). The foundations were again encountered to the east of Bolland’s Court at No 10 White Friars and in total an estimated stretch of 16.25m was identified. To the south of colonnade, evidence of a drainage or eaves drip channel was recorded comprising a V shaped cut some 60cm wide running parallel to the foundations. Subsequent excavations in 1972 outside No 12 White Friars encountered four large ashlar blocks on an east-west alignment at depth of approximately 3.5m. Although only residual Roman material was recovered from the site it is probable that this was a continuation of the known section of the building (2)

Further evidence recorded from the adjacent property (No 12) included fragments of cornice and Corinthian capitals while a deposit layer of wood charcoal overlying the stylobate foundations may indicate the building was ultimately destroyed by fire. Associated finds included samian ware, amphorae, mortaria, bronze armillae and fibulae. A total of 34 coins were recovered including one Third Brass and one Second brass with an estimated date of 260-320AD. (1)

A possible street surface, thought to be the intervallum road was also recorded (CHER 8280/15).

<1> Thompson Watkin W. T., 1886, Roman Cheshire: A Description of Roman Remains in the County of Chester, p147-150 (Book). SCH2878.

<2> multiple authors, 1973, Excavation Reports and Summaries, p20-21 (Article in Journal). SCH5782.

<3> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, p159 (Book). SCH3556.

<4> Unknown, Y Cymmrodor, p141 (Book). SCH3754.

<5> Longley D, 1977-1978, Longley Archive, No 549 (Paper Archive). SCH2005.

<6> Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Revised List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, City of Chester Inter Mural 1998/ 486 (Unpublished Report). SCH4570.

<7> Shrubsole, George W, 1890, On the Recent Find of a Centurial Stone in Chester (Article in Journal). SCH5577.

<8> Shrubsole, George W, 1886, Catalogue of the Roman Altars (Book). SCH6540.

<9> Hewitt, John, 1895, The Rows of Chester, an Attempt to Discover their Origin (Article in Journal). SCH5600.

<10> Lawson, P H, 1926, Schedule of the Roman Remains of Chester with Maps and Plans, No 40 (Article in Journal). SCH5956.

<11> Watkin W.T, 1889, Recent discoveries in Lancashire and Cheshire, p51 (Article in Journal). SCH5965.

<12> Ward, S. W., 1990, Excavations at Chester: The Lesser Medieval Religious Houses - Sites Investigated, 1964-83 (Grosvenor Museum Archaeological Excavation & Survey Reports) (Monograph). SCH1193.

<13> Picton, James et al, 1890, The Walls of Chester: are they Roman or Edwardian?, p90 (Article in Journal). SCH5579.

<14> Haverfield, F, 1900, Catalogue of the Roman Sculptured stones in the Grosvenor Museum, No 203 (Article in Journal). SCH5530.

<15> Davies. J. T (Reverend)., 1921, Catalogue of the Roman Coins in the Chester Museum (Article in Journal). SCH5687.

<16> Henig D.F, 2004, Roman Sculpture in the NW Midlands, No 108 (Book). SCH6862.