  Altars, Roman pavements, pigs of lead, coins, and other precious relics of former times, have been discovered in various places in the city and neighbourhood, some of them within a very recent period. Now that the people are happily being taught to estimate local antiquities at their proper worth, and a spirit of inquiry is being invoked respecting them, it is to be hoped that any future discoveries that may be made will be carefully preserved. There is no doubt that, through recklessness or ignorance, many links in the chain of our local history have been neglected and lost. On a projecting rock in Handbridge, situate at the south end of the bridge, is a sculptured figure of Minerva, with her symbol, the owl. Time has very much obliterated and defaced this ancient sculpture, called Edgar’s Cave, which is doubtless of Roman date. Close to the figure is a great hole in the rock; and the field in which it is situated is known by the name of Edgar’s field to the present day. In the year 1653 an altar, supposed to have been dedicated to Jupiter, was dug up in Foregate-street, and which is preserved among the Arundelian marbles at Oxford. The back of it is plain: on the sides of it there are neatly sculptured a Patera, a cup which was used in their libations; and a Thuribulum, or censer for burning incense. The inscription, when perfect, was—
which Leigh, in his ‘Natural History of Lancashire and Cheshire,’ explains thus—
In the year 1693, on the occasion of digging a place for a cellar in Eastgate-street, an altar was found buried amongst a great quantity of ashes, horns, and bones of several animals. On the back of the altar is represented a curtain with a festoon, over which is a globe surrounded with palm branches. On one side is a vase with two handles, from which issue acanthus leaves, supporting a basket of fruit; on the other side is a Genius with a Cornucopia in his left hand, and an altar on his right: on the top of the altar is a well sculptured human face within the Thuribulum. This altar was found with the inscription downwards, and near it were two medals, one of Vespasian, the other is assigned to Constantius Chlorus, son-in-law of Maximian. The inscription, with restorations, runs thus:—
Mr. Roach Smith says, “The persons who erected this altar were of Samosata, a town of Syria, celebrated as the birth-place of Lucian.” In 1779 an altar was found in Watergate-street, which is still preserved in the grounds of Oulton Park, the seat of Sir Philip de Malpas Grey Egerton, Bart, M.P.: at the sides are the rod of Esculapius, the CornucopiÆ and rudder, a patera, urn, sacrificial knife, and other instruments. The inscription, with a few restorations, is as follows:—
It has been supposed that the reason why this altar was erected on that particular spot, was because of the pure water which springs on that side of the town: the old Abbot’s well is in that quarter, whence water was formerly conveyed by pipes to some of the monasteries in Chester. In 1729, in digging a cellar in Watergate-street, a stone was found with an inscription, of which the following fragment only remains:—
In the Chapter-house of Chester Cathedral, there is a red sandstone, 24 inches by 8 inches, found on the site of the Deanery, bearing this inscription:—
Mr. Roach Smith, an eminent authority in such matters, says that this inscription is to be ascribed to the century of Ocratius Maximus, of the first Cohort of the 20th Legion: it has evidently been a facing stone, probably in the city wall; it resembles in character the centurial commemorations on the stones in the great northern wall, and, like them, apparently refers to the completion of a certain quantity of building. In the year 1738, in digging the foundation of a house in the market-place, a fragment of a slate stone was found, on which was cut in bas-relief, the figure of a Retiarius armed with his trident and net, and a considerable part of the shield of the Secutor. The Secutores and the Retiarii were gladiators, distinguished by their armour and manner of fighting. They bore in their left hand a Horsley describes a small statue of stone found near the Dee, supposed to be either Atys or Mithras. It had a Phrygian bonnet, a mantle on the shoulders, a short vest on the body, and a declining torch in the hands. On pulling down the old Eastgate in 1768, some portions of the original Roman structure were discovered, consisting of four arches, two in a line, and fifteen feet distant from each other; between the two arches fronting the east was a statue of the god Mars, holding in his right hand a spear handle, and his left resting on a shield. This was cut in one large stone, of about a half ton weight. There was also found a piece of rude sculpture about two feet in height, representing a Roman soldier. In the year 1800 a Roman Ring, with an onyx stone in the centre, was found by some workmen when digging in a garden in Upper Northgate-street, and is now in the possession of R. J. Hastings, Esq., of Chester. In 1803 part of a mosaic pavement, about five feet square, was discovered about six feet below the surface of the earth, on digging a cellar in what was then known by the name of the Nun’s Garden, near the Castle. In 1813 in sinking the foundation of a cellar at Netherleigh House, a short distance from Chester, a considerable number of large vases of red clay were discovered; they were regularly arranged in vaults, each vault containing four or six vases. Some of these were filled with calcined bones and small lumps of white clay. One of the vases was secured in a perfect state, but the others in most part were destroyed, through the carelessness of the workmen. A demi-figure, habited in a sacerdotal costume, was found at the same time. In 1814 a tesselated pavement was discovered near the gateway of the Castle, in making the alterations there, part of which was destroyed, and the remainder covered up again. In April, 1850, whilst excavating for a drain on the premises belonging to Mr. Wynne, carpenter, on the east side of Bridge-street, adjoining the Feathers-lane, a portion of a tile flooring, of mediÆval construction, was discovered, in a remarkably good state of preservation. This floor was made the subject of a lecture by These tiles were manufactured by the soldiers of the Legion, who were accomplished masons, being trained to use the pickaxe, spade, and trowel, as well as military arms. In times of peace they were employed in building houses and public edifices, constructing roads, and tilling the fields. To them “we are indebted for nearly all the inscriptions discovered in this country, which abound in the districts where they were regularly quartered, or employed on public works, and are comparatively scarce in other localities.” A great number of coins have been found at various times within the walls of Chester, of Vespasian, Trajan, Hadrian, Fl. Val. Constantius, and other Roman emperors, some in brass and others in silver. A very fine gold coin of Faustina the elder, wife of Antonius Pius, was found a few years ago, near the Castle; and in 1826 a very beautiful gold coin was dug up in a field at the east end of Captain Wrench’s house, which is in the possession of Captain Wrench. On the obverse is the head of Nero, with his title, NERO CESAR AVGVSTVS, and on the reverse is a figure in a sitting posture, and the legend SALVS. Whilst excavating a drain in Grosvenor-street, in 1828, several coins were found, some of which were in very good preservation, especially one of Trajan and another of Geta. A lamp made of lead, and an ivory stylus, were also dug up at the same time. In the same year was found, near the new church of St. Bridget, a small altar, without any inscription to assist the antiquarian in ascertaining anything respecting its dedication. Within the space of a few inches from the altar was found a brass medal, on which the figure of the god Neptune is clearly delineated, with his trident, and a ship with her sails. The legend on it is NEPTVNVS; on the reverse is Hercules with his club, and a female figure by his side, and around is the inscription HERCVLES ET PALLAS. A short time ago a small votive altar was found by W. Ayrton, Esq., at Boughton, near to the spot where the altar, previously described as dedicated to the Nymphs, was discovered.
Examples of dedication to genii are very numerous; the belief that they presided over the welfare of cities, families, and individuals, was part of the religious system of the Romans. It was generally believed that every individual had two genii, the one good, the other bad. With reference to the particular inscription to the genius Avernus, Mr. Roach Smith says, “that he finds no other mention: but the locality in which the altar was found confirms the literal interpretation that the genius of the well known lake in Carpania is here to be understood as addressed by Julius Quintilianus. The waters of the lake were much used by the Romans in magical rites, as the classical reader will be reminded by the line in Virgil’s description of the incantation scene, preparatory to Dido’s death:—
A short time ago there was found in Common Hall-street, imbedded in a thick wall several feet under ground, a singular block or pig of lead. Unfortunately the inscription has only been partially preserved, inasmuch as it presents a different reading from others which have been discovered, and which Camden mentions as being very general in Cheshire; but those which he records as having come under his notice had inscribed on them:—
These pigs of lead appear to have been paid as tribute by the Britons to their Roman masters, “the harsh exaction of which was one of the causes of the insurrection.” A great quantity of the Red Samian, and other kinds of pottery, have been discovered within the walls of Chester, which are supposed to have been of foreign origin. The names of the potters were:—
The following recent discoveries we extract from the First Report of the Chester Architectural, ArchÆological, and Historic Society, incorporated in a most able and interesting paper by C. Roach Smith, Esq. Weaver-street.—In excavating for sewers was found, at the depth Common Hall-street.—Up the centre, a row of foundations formed of concrete (broken marble stones in hard mortar), about nine feet apart, all in a line, and about ten feet deep, presenting the appearance of having supported columns. A large square block of stone, four feet two inches square, and sixteen inches deep, without lewis holes, on a bed of concrete. A portion of a column of very debased classical form, about two feet in diameter; at the top is a hole, four inches and a half square, and the same deep, and a similar hole at the bottom; the square part seems never to have been smoothly dressed; the workmen said it was fast to the grouted concrete, at the depth of ten feet; mouldings, broken tiles, and pottery, coins of Pius, Tetricus, &c.; a quantity of animals’ bones, a stag’s skull, with the horns sawn off, and a wild boar’s tusk. In the adjoining street, a moulded block of cornice, eight inches thick, on the under side of which is a rude inscription; imbedded in a thick wall, at the same place, a pig of lead; a capital of a pillar. The tiles are of various forms, some overlapping one another, some with a kind of pattern or letters, others with marks of animals’ feet. One perfect, twenty-one inches by thirteen, of singular form. Also, what appears to have been a portion of a gable end. In December, 1850, whilst fresh drains were being made, an old Roman vase was found in a yard belonging to Mr. Parkinson, plumber, in Northgate-street, between the Abbey-square and the Abbey Green. The labourer who was employed in the drain in that neighbourhood unhappily shattered this vase in pieces. The fragments, however, were collected together with great care, and re-united by Mr. Parkinson, in whose possession it now remains. There were found with it some portions of annular brass money, much corroded. Near to the Feathers Hotel, in Bridge-street, in a cellar now occupied as an earthenware shop, are the remains of the Roman hypocaust and sweating bath, the use of which appears to have been very general amongst the Romans, and regarded by them as one of their chief luxuries. From the details which have been handed down to us by ancient historians, respecting these curious erections, we learn that they were not only constructed so as to secure the comfort and convenience of the bathers to the fullest In 1779, another Hypocaust, and the remains of several adjoining rooms of a Roman house, were discovered in digging the foundations of houses near the Watergate. The pillars of this Hypocaust, the altar dedicated to Fortuna Redux, Esculapius et Salus, and a few other antiquities, were found at the same time, and were removed to Oulton Park. But small portions of the original Roman wall of Chester now exist, although undoubted vestiges of that ancient work are easily discernible. The present wall, no doubt, stands on the original foundation. The Roman pavement has been often discovered at the depth of a few feet below the modern road, in the principal streets, which, in all probability, run in the same direction as those of the Roman City. During the last few years, many remarkable antiquities have been discovered in making excavations for new buildings; and among such remains, a fine Roman altar, bearing a Greek inscription, has excited great interest and speculation. |
|
