Fieldwork Group 

The Fieldwork Group offers members an opportunity to take part in primary archaeological research and to acquire the relevant skills. Whenever possible, projects are carried out over weekends and public holidays. 

The Society's major research project at the Roman roadside settlement at Heronbridge, just south of Chester, ran from 2002 until 2004. An interim report on the first two seasons was published  in the Society's Journal  volume 78 for 2003, and an online interim report on the last season is available here. A final report is in preparation.  
 

The Claverton Project 

The Society embarked on a new project in the summer of 2006, concentrating on an area to the west of  Heronbridge and known as the 'lost village of Claverton'. It is believed that the remains of this long-lost medieval village are to be found just south of Handbridge, on the north side of the Roman Watling Street, which connects Chester with Wroxeter. The  area  consists of woodland and open fields. Medieval ridge-and-furrow is visible both in the woodland and in the open space. In addition, there is evidence of an ancient trackway and, within the woodland, various features which may suggest house platforms.  

The project had four main aims:  

• to plan and examine the earthwork features resulting from our own landscape survey and those identified by Keith Matthews in 1999, to establish whether or not it is the settlement of Claverton

• to locate and examine the 'Grey Ditch', which is supposed to form the southern boundaries of the liberties of Chester. It is suggested that this may also have formed the demarcation between the military settlement of Chester and the civilian settlement at Heronbridge

• to investigate the location, function and date of Hayward's Castle

• to carry out fieldwalking and documentary research in order to shed light on some of the industries in Handbridge and on the relationship between Chester, Claverton and Handbridge.

Eccleston 

In 2010 the Society is launching a new research project, focussing on Eccleston and its possible early monastic origins. If you would like to know more about the project, please contact Phil Miles. 
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