What will be unearthed at the Grosvenor Park dig this year?

Students from the University of Chester are developing their practical archaeological skills in Grosvenor Park with excavation training provided by a partnership of professional archaeologists.

From Monday 27th April until Friday 22nd May, 28 second-year Archaeology students will help to discover more about the past of this historic and beautiful area of Chester as well as gain valuable work experience. The excavation is run by West Cheshire Museums and is a joint project between Cheshire West and Chester Council and archaeologists from the University of Chester’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Last year’s excavation produced some interesting and unexpected results. As hoped, Roman ditches and pits were found containing a large quantity of Roman pottery which seems to have been thrown away in the late Roman period. This included amphorae (large storage jars) from the Mediterranean and pottery made in Roman Eastern Gaul (modern day Germany). An unusual find was a piece of Roman ceramic candlestick. Previous excavations in the Park have discovered a Roman road running towards the amphitheatre. One of the students’ tasks this year is to try and find any buildings that might suggest people were living in the Park in the Roman period, nearly 2000 years ago.

Another unexpected discovery in 2025 was a large square stone hearth (open fire) or oven base in a medieval building lying under the remains of a late medieval/16^th century building at the western end of the trench. Another aim for this year is to find out more about these buildings and how they relate to each other. The late medieval/16^th century building is believed to be that acquired by Sir Hugh Cholmondeley in the late 1500s and converted into his Chester house. The house was destroyed in the English Civil War when Parliamentarian soldiers besieging the Royalist city of Chester were stationed in the area surrounding the Church of St John the Baptist.

The students will also investigate whether a section of east-west running medieval ditch first discovered in 2024 links up with the medieval ditch running north-south found in 2021. The line of a large Saxon ditch is already known to run through the middle of the excavation trench, it is perhaps the defensive boundary of an early medieval settlement located on the site of the amphitheatre and the students are hoping to uncover this interesting feature. It will be a busy four weeks.

The excavation project began in 2007 with the aim of learning more about the area surrounding Chester’s Roman amphitheatre and the important Church of St John the Baptist, which was founded in the Saxon period, re-built as a Norman cathedral and converted to a parish church in the 16^th century. Archaeologists want to discover how the position and ruins of the amphitheatre as well as the influence of the church impacted on the later use and development of the surrounding area.

Councillor Lisa Denson, Cabinet Member for A Fairer Future said:

“What more will we learn about the history of Grosvenor Park and Chester? Some fascinating insights into life during the Roman and medieval period have been discovered since 2007 when the annual excavations first started.

“The excavations have revealed a Roman road, part of a large Saxon defensive ditch, as well as the remains of a medieval building. The site has also revealed the largest amount of English Civil War equipment to be found in Chester.

“The only period the team have not yet found evidence for is the prehistoric period but who knows what lies under the ground waiting to be discovered this year - come and visit the park to find out more.”

Dr Hannah Ewence, Head of Humanities, Cultures and Environment at the University of Chester, added:

“This partnership provides a valuable opportunity for students to bring their learning to life by putting their skills into action, gaining practical experience, and contributing to enhancing our understanding of Chester’s rich heritage.

“Some remarkable finds have been made in previous years; we’re excited to see what this year’s dig reveals about our city’s past, and share more on the discoveries with the public.”

A free open afternoon will be held on Tuesday 19th May, from 2 pm to 4.30 pm when there will be site tours and a display of this year’s finds; no booking is necessary.

Visitors are also welcome to view the excavation in progress Monday to Friday from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm and 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm, when students will be pleased to answer questions about their work and discoveries.