Monument record 9067 - Burh of Chester

Chester was refortified by Aethelflaed in 907, an event probably connected with Norse settlement in the Wirral, who tried to appropriate Chester after expulsion from Dublin. The refortification of Chester was part of a long process of burh building accompanying the gradual reconquest of Danelaw by Aethelflaed and brother, Edward the Elder. By the tenth century, Chester was a major military and ecclesiastical centre, though in 893 - 894 it was occupied by the Danes as 'deserted city'. The size of burh fortifications difficult to assess. Calculations, using Burghal Hidage, a ninth or tenth century document, indicated defences c 5000ft in total length. The Roman fortress walls, however, longer than this and so Aethelflaedan defences partly followed different lines. Possibly L- shaped with north and east walls of the Roman fortress extended to the river. The Dee itself was the main defence to the south and west. Such defences were 4530ft long, the remainder possibly accounted for by assigning men to the defence of the bridge (CHER 9055). Internal layout of burh still based on Roman street pattern. Signs of adaptation of Roman buildings and reuse of derelict sites, whereas settlement more characteristic of burhs can be seen outside Roman defences (1, 2, 3). Please see the individual linked monument records for detail.

<1> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, 1/249-251 Thacker A 1987 (Book). SCH3556.

<2> Mason, D. J. P., 2007, Chester AD 400-1066: From Roman Fortress to English Town (Book). SCH6530.

<3> Mason, D. J. P., 1985, Excavations at Chester, 26-42 Lower Bridge Street 1974-6: The Dark Age and Saxon Periods (Excavation & survey reports), /36-39 (Monograph). SCH1188.