Quick Links: Introduction | Area A | Area B | Area C
In Area A the removal of post-Roman pits – mostly cess pits of medieval date - is almost complete. Most of the deep holes visible on the site are such pits. These are important because of the contents recovered. Finds such as a bone comb, parchment clips, and a near complete jug give important evidence for life in Chester in the middle ages. Soil samples which have been sieved have produced fish bones, small animal bones, and carbonised cereal grains and seeds.
These finds give us valuable and rare evidence for diet and environment in the medieval city. The remains of the stone structure of the amphitheatre have been seriously depleted by the robbing of building stone in the past, resulting in the creation of robber trenches, which follow the lines of the walls. It now seems clear that the outer wall of the structure, visible from the fence at the roadside, together with the side walls of public entrances known as vomitoria, are later than the concentric wall which lies between the outer and arena walls.
At present it seems likely that the first amphitheatre was quite small and consisted of the arena wall and concentric wall, with timber framed seating within the stone shell. The addition of the outer wall and vomitoria seems to have created a much larger and grander structure with stone-built vaults and interior stairways leading to the auditorium. Work will continue on emptying robber trenches and clarifying the relationships between different elements of the amphitheatre structure.
Area 1: The line of the outer wall of the Amphitheatre
Area 2: The Line of the concentric wall, which lies between the arena and outer wall
Area 3: The side walls of the vomitoria (public entrance)
Area 4: The arena wall
This is the largest trench on the Site, sited in front of the public walkway, and is visible from the main road (Little St John Street). There have been excavations in this Area before, but there are still large parts that have been untouched for years. It is hoped that all of the remains in this Area will have been uncovered by the end of the project.
Area A is split up into two further areas:
This is are was first excavated during the 1960's. There are several pits, which are medieval, and later became cess pits. (marked as 3)
This are, towards the arena floor of the Amphitheatre, has never been excavated. It has been heavily cut by sewer trenches and other features. Work is expected to concentrate in this area for the next few weeks of the project, especially on the various medieval cess and rubbish pits.
So far work has been concentrated in this area of the Amphitheatre. The modern topsoil has been removed by machine and hand clearance is revealing numerous brick and sandstone foundations and features close to the surface.
These are thought to belong to belong to 18th and 19th century townhouses that once stood on the site. These are interesting in themselves, but also suggest that the Roman archaeology underneath may have been preserved by these buildings.
It also possible that some of the outer Amphitheatre walls may already be showing themselves.
This area is currently the focus of our webcam, so be sure to follow the progress live from there.
As you can see from the photographs in the 5 July update a series of 20th Century drains have been uncovered in the trench in Area A, these were already known about and where part of excavations in the 1960's. However they provide a 'preview' of what lies beneath.
At the western end of the Area a brick floor has been uncovered, along with a sewer pipe and cellar. These are from a house which appeared on a 1875 OS map.
A lot of the medieval and post-medieval archaeology appears to have been destroyed during this 19th century building.
Information on the Roman period of the Area is now beginning to appear. The outer wall of the Amphitheatre is now visible in several places, as well as a Roman road that ran around the outside of the structure. It is now thought there was possibly Roman occupation on the Site prior to the Amphitheatre.
The excavations in Are A are now focusing on the actual remaining features of the Amphitheatre itself. The following pictures show the outline of the original structure.
[Above] This is an image of what would have been the outer stone wall of the Amphitheatre. The stone work in question is highlighted by the transparent orange colour.
[Above and Below] This photograph is of part of the outer wall of the Amphitheatre. You can also see a buttress that would have flanked one side of the public entrance (vomitorium) to the amphitheatre seating. It would have probably supported an arch that may have formed the entrance.
This image [above] highlights part of the so-called concentric wall of the Amphitheatre. A concentric wall is simply the wall which lay between the arena and outer walls.
In Area A the removal of post-Roman pits - mostly cess pits of medieval date - is almost complete. Most of the deep holes visible on the site are such pits. These are important because of the contents recovered. Finds such as a bone comb, parchment clip, and a near complete jug give important evidence for life in Chester in the middle ages. Soil samples which have been sieved have produced fish bones, small animal bones, and carbonised cereal grains and seeds.
These finds give us valuable and rare evidence for diet and environment in the medieval city. The remains of the stone structure of the amphitheatre have been seriously depleted by the robbing of building stone in the past, resulting in the creation of robber trenches, which follow the lines of the walls. It now seems clear that the outer wall of the structure, visible from the fence at the roadside, together with the side walls of public entrances known as vomitoria, are later than the concentric wall which lies between the outer and arena walls.
At present it seems likely that the first amphitheatre was quite small and consisted of the arena wall and concentric wall, with timber framed seating within the stone shell. The addition of the outer wall and vomitoria seems to have created a much larger and grander structure with stone-built vaults and interior stairways leading to the auditorium.
Work will continue on emptying robber trenches and clarifying the relationships between different elements of the amphitheatre structure.