Archaeological Mitigation Report. Queen's School, Chester

Archaeological monitoring of groundworks associated with a new 5G pitch. The archaeological excavation of two trial pits followed by an archaeological watching brief on groundworks was carried out at The Queens school, Chester. The archaeological fieldwork was carried out between August 2024 and June 2025 by Dee Archaeological Services Ltd (DAS) on behalf of the Queen's School. The archaeological works were undertaken in response to a planning condition request by the Cheshire Archaeological Planning Advisory Service (APAS). Trial pits were excavated to investigate the wall foundations, in order to determine the potential impact and stability of the walls. The watching brief was implemented as the site falls within an area of archaeological signi"cance and potential. The trial pits were excavated to a depth of 1.3m below current ground level. In both cases the trial pits encountered a series of tipping and levelling layers. Trial pit 1 encountered the remains of an earlier sandstone and mortar wall, running parallel to the current wall at the base of the trench, which predates the 19th century. In trial pit 2 a concrete foundation for the bttress wasidentified, associated with a period of alterations, in the 1850s when when the buttress was added and Holyhead rail bridge added. These alterations have likely removed the remnants of the earlier wall in this trench. The watching brief identified post medieval deposits across the site, associated with a period of landscaping and reclamation in the 17th century, with further levelling and agricultural activity relating to the 18th and 19th century allotments. The upper deposits are thought to be associated to the constructed of the school sports field and modern 20th century services which are seen across the south and east of the site. In the north of the site a red brick culvert was exposed running across the site and under the railway line; this was first identified on the 1833 Wood. No structural Roman or medieval features were uncovered during the works. The finds were dated between the late 17th and 19th century, with a few earlier medieval floor tile and Roman pottery and ceramic building material, thought to be residual.