More information : (SJ 83124907) Roman Settlement (R) (site of) (NAT) (1)
Sampson Erdeswick (a), writing between 1593 and 1603, described
"ruins of a very ancient town ... the walls have been of
miraculous thickness", at Chesterton. Plot (b) stated that there
were no visible remains in his time. Ward described Chesterton
as a fortress, 370 x 300 yards (c), probably following field
boundaries (2). In 1925 T Pape excavated near the NW corner of
the 'fort', without result (d) but later in 1933 (e) he found
traces of Roman occupation in the NE corner; the pottery was
mainly Flavian. In 1956 J H Kelly (f) excavated near to Pape's
position and discovered Roman pottery and other objects of the
late first and early second centuries, but was unable to find
any defence works. (2)
Excavation on the SE defences of the Roman fort at Chesterton
was carried out by F H Goodyear for the Keele and Newcastle
Archaeological Society in 1969. The rampart 25ft wide consisted
largely of sandstone fragments between substantial turf walls.
The innermost defensive ditch was cut into sandstone rock and
was probably about 15ft wide by 5 or 6ft deep, with a square
cut drainage ditch at the bottom. Apparently the second ditch
was of less importance and may have been allowed to fill with
water. Remains of a baking oven were found immediately behind
the rampart and behind this was a gully cut clearly into the
sandstone, probably designed to drain the intervallum road. It
was hoped to locate the barrack blocks and other buildings in
1970 when a full report would be made and held by
Newcastle-under-Lyme Museum. (3)
There are no surveyable remains of the earthworks. A school now
occupies the site. The SW side of the Roman station is overlaid
by macadamized net-ball courts and grass, the NW side has been
destroyed by levelling of the ground to provide grassed open
space and the NE side has been developed with housing.
(The SE side was built over in the 19th c). The farm track which
ran down the centre of the site has now gone. (4)
Recent excavations on the site of the Roman fort show it to be
of early Flavian date. Two more sides have been traced and it is
suggested that its size was about 3-4 acres. (5)
Excavations between 1969 and 1971 have securely placed the SE
defences of the fort and located the two corresponding corners
(see plan). There is no definite evidence yet of the position of
the NW side. However, from levels taken before the school was
built a slight dip on the NW is noted, and this may represent
the rampart limit or lip of a ditch, giving an internal area of
3.8 acres. From this assumption the SW entrance is almost
exactly central to that side of the fort.
The SE entrance was indicated by a sighting of the road surface
in a sewer trench, and this places it in the traditional
position, very nearly one third of the way along that side.
A very short period of occupation is indicated by the narrow
date ranges of the samian recovered, which is of a uniformly
early Flavian date. (6)
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