Source/Archive record SCH9332 - Excavations at Chester. Roman land division and a probable villa in the hinterland of Deva

Published account (2022) of the results of the programme of archaeological mitigation at Saighton Camp undertaken between 2005 and 2015, which revealed important and extensive Roman period remains within the area of development. The site is located 3km from the Roman legionary fortress of Chester (Deva Victrix). A combination of trial trenching, watching brief monitoring and excavation across the area of proposed development revealed the remains of a high-status settlement of second to fourth century date (CHER 7418/2), together with an associated regular field system (CHER 7418/1) laid out over more than 20 hectares. The excavated settlement appears to be an ancillary area to a much larger site, the centre of which lies to the south in the area of the moated site (CHER 1946) and is believed to be a villa. This is the closest such site to Chester and villas are notably rare in the region. The field system runs parallel with a modern road (Sandy Lane), suggesting the latter is a Roman route. The field system was probably laid out by the legion at Deva as part of the lands they controlled around the fortress.