Monument record 1700/1/15 - Roman Road - North of Eaton Hall (Chester to Wroxeter Route 6a)

Watling Street in the grounds of Eaton Hall. Two sections cut through Watling Street in Eaton Park, between Garden Lodge and Eaton Stud, revealed two superimposed road surfaces, the lower consisting of sand gravel with some grey sand and the upper containing some cobbles and sandstone fragments, as well as compacted gravel set in red or brown sand. No indications of an agger, but the road was probably terraced slightly into the hill. Width of road was 25ft. No side ditches. Pollen analysis of deposits from a gulley sealed beneath the east side of the road implied a cleared landscape prior to road construction, probably predominantly pasture land, with very slight evidence for cultivation. Only find in association with the Roman road was a small Roman gaming counter found on the gravel surface. Virtually the same alignment was readopted early in C19 for a drive lined with trees (1).

<1> Chester Archaeological Society, Journal of the Chester Archaeological Society, Buchanan M; Jerm (Journal/Periodical). SCH1595.

<2> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, 1/217 + 232 1987 (Book). SCH3556.