Monument record 8024 - Potential Roman Cemetery - St Olave and Lower Bridge Street

Evidence for an early Roman period cemetery in this area comes from two sources. The first is the find of what was reported to have been 'first century urn-burials', found on the site of a stable and bakehouse adjoining St Olave's St., in the rear of 'Mather's House' (1). It was thought that if they existed, and if they may belong to a cemetery, perhaps pre-dating the Flavian fortress (2).

Note that this find was reported by the Cheshire Sheaf, and at least Petch noted that the discovery could not be authenticated. The second find was what was identified as a cremation burial pit. A pit cut was identified at the site of the Maison Romano Hotel, cut into the earliest of three potential yard surfaces (CHER 8023), dating to the late first or second century (4). This pit, while unexcavated because most of the feature was outside the extent of the small excavation area, was interpreted as a probable cremation burial (4). Based on this monument; 'if the datable material stratified above the surface which seals the burial is contemporary with the deposition of the layer (ie late first to early second century), then the burial must indeed belong to a period before the foundation of the fortress' (4).

<1> Lawson, P H, 1926, Schedule of the Roman Remains of Chester with Maps and Plans, 27/187/No.90 (Article in Journal). SCH5956.

<2> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, 1/173 Petch D F 1987 (Book). SCH3556.

<3> Chester Courant, 1878-1990, The Cheshire Sheaf, 1925 (Newspaper-Magazine). SCH3105.

<4> Chester City Council, 1990, 49-51 Lower Bridge Street, Chester (Maison Romano Hotel): an Archaeological Evaluation (Client Report). SCH6203.