Source/Archive record SCH9324 - 83-89 Foregate Street, Chester: Archaeological Fieldwork Report

Report detailing the results of archaeological recording undertaken in 2021-2022 during groundworks as part of the construction of a new build retail store at 83–89 Foregate Street, Chester. Work comprised monitoring of the lifting of the ground floor slab and sub-base of the former building on the site, archaeological monitoring during the excavation of 25 ground beam trenches and 102 pile caps, also the excavation of an attenuation tank and drainage run to connect with the existing drainage system. This work was the latest stage of archaeological mitigation on the site dating from 2017 (see also: ECH6429, 2017; ECH6930, 2020; ECH 6931, 2020), which had demonstrated that there were significant below-ground remains present from an approximate depth of 0.4m below ground level. As a result, extensive efforts were made to mitigate the impact upon the archaeological remains through the design of the foundations of the proposed development, in order to preserve the majority of remains in situ (it was agreed that a loss of approximately 5% of significant archaeological remains was acceptable). After some areas of significant archaeology were encountered, the height of the foundation levels of the building were further raised and the loss of significant archaeology was reduced to just the impact of the piling (0.55%). The majority of remains identified related to post-medieval/modern occupation of the site, which had truncated the earlier archaeological remains. Several brick walls, floor surfaces, pits, occupation layers and demolition deposits were recorded, indicative of late post-medieval cellars, modern services and foundations/pile caps, and demolition associated with the former buildings that occupied the site. The post medieval remains corresponded fairly well with the historic mapping of the site. Remains of significant, earlier archaeology comprised the upper surviving level of Roman walls, floor surfaces and occupation or demolition layers containing Roman ceramics; these were largely preserved in situ.