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EDGARS CAVE

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DESCRIPTION

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A Roman quarry at Edgar's Field, Handbridge which features a small cave or niche and a relief carving of Minerva, suggested to be the only representation of a Roman goddess still in its original position in western Europe. Small-scale excavation in front of the niche in the 1920s found some Roman and Post Medieval potsherds, and some fragments of Roman tile. The figure is badly weathered and, although protected by railings, was described during Ordnance Survey Field Investigation in 1964 and 1976 as neglected. It is both scheduled and listed.

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[SJ 4066 6561] Edgar's Cave
Figure of Minerva [T.I] ROMAN QUARRY [G.S] (1)

Cave with figure of Minerva cut into the face of the rock found
in Edgar's Field c. 1725. Excavated 1923 and 1927, when pottery
and remains of fires, etc., showed 2nd-3rd century occupation.
The later excavations also supplied evidence of Roman 1st c.
quarrying. Evidence of a building or buildings having existed in
the immediate neighbourhood was established by the finding of
quantities of broken roofing slabs 1st-?4th c. pottery and
probable wall footings.

Scheduled (3).

[OS 25" siting correct, see plan (2) F/54/128/6 also F/54/129/3](2-3)

The quarry face is c3.0m high. The Minerva figure is carved in
relief on its East Face. It is 1.5m high and 0.6m wide and is
badly weathered.
Adjoining it on the North side is a niche too small to be
classified as a cave.
Both features are protected by railings but are otherwise
neglected.
See GP's AO/64/229/7,8. (4)

No change since report of 21.7.64. (5)

Additional information. (6-11)

Documented. Erathworks in Edgar's Field indicate that the quarry was much larger than previously thought. (12)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

Ordnance Survey 25" 1961

( 2) Journal of the Chester and North Wales Architectural Archaeological and Historic Society

Newstead, R. Edgar's Field, Handbridge. Site LXIII. 27, 1928 Page(s)103-8

( 3) Scheduled Monument Notification

List Ancient Monuments in England and Wales 1961 p22 (Ministry Of Works)

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

First OS Archaeology Field Investigator 21/07/1964

( 5) Field Investigators Comments

Second OS Archaeology Field Investigator 24/02/1976

(6) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

(7) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest Chester 10/01/1972

(8) Journal of the Chester and North Wales Architectural Archaeological and Historic Society

Williams, WJ. The Cult of Mithra in Deva. 24, 1922 Page(s)102-114

(9) by Martin Henig 1984 Religion in Roman Britain

Page(s)91, 93

(10) N J Higham 1993 The origins of Cheshire

The origins of the shire Page(s)35

(11) Peter Carrington 1994 English Heritage book of Chester

Page(s)36

(12) English Heritage Monuments Protection Programme Industrial Monuments Assessment, Step 3 Reports

Quarrying Industry Step 3 Report, 2000, Cheshire 1

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