Chester Archaeological Society

Miracles, myths, demons and the occasional grin: Choir misericords in the Chester-Wrexham area #1

Miracles, myths, demons and the occasional grin: Misericords in the Chester-Wrexham area #1 Introduction Chester Cathedral, founded as St Werburgh’s Abbey in the late 11th century, is where I first encountered medieval misericords, part of the choir stalls. Choir stalls were locate…

It's a cool but beautiful day at Beeston today... ⚔️

Chester BID

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3h
New plans to convert a building above Chester's historic Rows into 18 apartments on Watergate Street. 📍

https://cheshire-live.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/plans-18-apartments-above-chester-28245354

CAS comment: You can see full details here on the CWaC planning website . 23/03821/FUL.

Plans for 18 apartments in empty building above Chester Rows The proposed development is earmarked for the upper floors of 14-20 Watergate Street

For Christmas it is worth recalling the 15th-cent Carol of the Nuns of St Mary's, Chester, 'Qui Creavit Coelum' ('He who made Heaven') (https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-2910-1/dissemination/pdf/JCAS_ns_013/JCAS_ns_013_067-109.pdf) with a modern performance at Chester Cathedral https://google.com/search?q=song+f+ther+nuns+of+chester&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GBGB1051GB1051&oq=song+f+ther+nuns+of+chester&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIJCAEQABgNGIAEMg0IAhAAGIYDGIAEGIoF0gEINTgzMGowajeoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 =ive&vld=cid:f94b5396,vid:MVzKxHEPJmg,st:0.

Engraving by Buck of the surviving arches of the nunnery in 1727.

Plan of the nunnery by Simon Ward, showing how the site was adapted to form the town house of the Brereton family. The arches shown in the Buck view are highlighted in red.

Many thanks to Ben Jervis for his talk this evening on later medieval urbanism in the face of the multiple crises of the 14th-15the centuries - lots to think about!

Many thanks to Liz Montgomery for giving CAS members the chance to examine Treasure finds acquired by the Grosvenor Museum after being reported to the PAS.

One was a crude Roman gold ring (LVPL-404E26; https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/941429) with ?snake decoration from Blacon. A number of Roman coins have been found in the area. Blacon Point would have commanded the approach to the harbour at Chester, ,but no occupation has been confirmed there.

Another was a silver vervel (ring attached to the leg strap of a hawk) (PUBLIC-A42D62 ; https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/574639) found at Bruen Stapleford and inscribed 'J' or 'I' 'Bruen of Stapleford'. It is possible that this may be a reference to John Bruen (1560-1625).

Don't forget our next lecture on Wednesday 6 Dec: 'ENDURE: Urban Life in a Time of Crisis – Later Medieval Britain’ by Ben Jervis, University of Leicester. Members have received an email with a registration link. Non-members very welcome; sign up here (£) https://chesterarchaeolsoc.org.uk/lectures/.

And for an extra treat, members are welcome to a viewing of Treasure acquisitions from the PAS by the Grosvenor Museum tomorrow 5 December at 14.45. Email Liz Montgomery to
book a place!

Lectures – Chester Archaeological Society Between the Autumn and Spring (usually September to May) we organise a programme of monthly lectures on Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons; these are held in the Lecture Theatre of the Grosvenor Museum or online via Zoom.

Nantwich Museum

Our fascinating research project with Keele University, studying remains in a Roman burial urn held in the Museum's collection, is progressing well. We now have a short YouTube video by explaining the steps being taken to discover its past youtube.com/watch?v=dLsPqM…

CAS members - Don't forget the chance to views some
PAS Treasure items acquired by the Grosvenor Museum from 15:00 to 16:50 5 December at the museum (arrive 14.45). Email
Liz Montgomery at the museum. Check you emails for details!

Next CAS lecture: ‘ENDURE: Urban Life in a Time of Crisis – Later Medieval Britain’ by Ben Jervis, Leicester University. Ben will talk about the UKRI-funded project he is leading, exploring the experiences of small-town communities through the period of the 14th cent crisis.

This is an online lecture. Members check you emails for registration details. Non-members very welcome; register via our website (£):

Lectures – Chester Archaeological Society Between the Autumn and Spring (usually September to May) we organise a programme of monthly lectures on Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons; these are held in the Lecture Theatre of the Grosvenor Museum or online via Zoom.

Aʀᴄʜᴀᴇᴏ𝖉𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍

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22m
St Plegmund’s Well

St Plegmund’s Well Occasionally on this blog I’ve reported on Welsh and English holy wells and watery sites as these are a further aspect of our landscapes of memory – places of healing, worship, remembra…

Dr Toby Driver

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20h
🤔 If you want a 40min summary of Welsh hillforts 🛖 but haven't made one of the recent archaeology dayschools, I'm very grateful to the tech wizards at

👏 for this recording of my November lecture.

CPAT and CBAW Archaeology Day 2023 - Exploring the Archaeology of Iron Age Wales with Dr Toby Driver Dr Toby Driver dives into the archaeology of Iron Age Wales with his lecture 'Of Hillforts and Hammer Fighters' for the Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust and ...

Dr. Tom 𝕳𝖔𝖗𝖓𝖊

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Nov 24
How Large (or Small) Were Groups? We discuss how many Vikings you need to establish a Scandinavian market kingdom in Ireland and Britain.

A clip from my

podcast with

and

How Large (or Small) Were Viking Groups? | Dr. Tom Horne In this clip from our 21st episode of the Vikingology podcast, asks Dr. Tom Horne how large he thinks the Viking groups who left Scandinavia to est...

Tom Holland

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2h
Tomorrow on BBC2 at 21.00, the first of a three part series on the collapse of the Roman Republic.

The first part covers the swirl of plotting & rivalry from Caesar's election as Pontifex Maximus to the formation of the First Triumvirate.

I ventriloquise Caesar...

Latest free e-book on Nantwich by member Charles Fairey

An really interesting read
Link 👉sites.google.com/site/charlesfa…

Google Sites: Sign-in Access Google Sites with a personal Google account or Google Workspace account (for business use).

CWAC Museums

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7h
Come along and join our friends

to celebrate Castle through the Centuries at Christmas. There will be Medieval music, a Victorian feast and storytelling. The Castle will be open on Saturday 2 December from 11am-3pm & 4pm - 6.30pm. Entry is free.

CWaC have just launched a consultation on local transport. You can read their vision document here: https://participatenow.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/local-transport-plan-4-phase-1.

We are delighted that it incorporates many of the views and ideas that we have been putting forward for over three years.

We shall consolidate and update those ideas. If members have any suggestions based on their own experiences, please email [email protected]

Share your views on the Future of Transport Cheshire West and Chester Council are developing a new, long-term plan for transforming transport across our borough. We would like to hear your views. This engagement exercise opens on 20 November 2023 and closes at 23:59pm on 28 January 2024. We know that transport

Publication of excavations at the 'Lead Houses: White Lead Processing at the
Chester Leadworks'
R Matthews, R Buckle & E Govier. Industrial Archaeology Review, DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1080/03090728.2023.2266968 [£]

Lead Houses: White Lead Processing at the Chester Leadworks The Chester Leadworks was established on the north bank of the Chester Canal in 1799 and is best known for the production of lead shot for the Napoleonic Wars, although lead sheet, pipes and washer...

National Trust

The effects of climate change are all around us. So, what are we going to do about it?

Our new report 'A Climate for Change' covers everything we've learnt so far about adapting, as well as future challenges.

Learn more here: https://brnw.ch/21wEAKX

Photo: John Malley

Victoria Gallery & Museum Liverpool

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18h
Our lecture on the Meroë Head of Augustus, by the fantastic

is still available to watch on our YouTube channel.

The Head was loaned to us by

as part of the series of events, exhibitions and programming.

👇
https://youtu.be/aJyhapLszjk?si=vPqCiRk7J84IfoR2

Alison Fisk

Bronze head of the Roman emperor Augustus. Known as the Meroë Head. Eyes inlaid with glass and stone, 27-25 BC.

Penny for your thoughts Augustus?

This head once belonged to an over-life-sized statue of Augustus set up in Egypt. It was removed by Kush*te soldiers who took it as a trophy and buried it under the front steps of their temple at Meroë (Sudan) where it was trodden on daily by temple visitors in a sign of disrespect to Rome. An ironic twist of fate which preserved it.

The Meroë Head is usually displayed in an upright position. It is displayed here as if buried, a symbol of resistance to Rome, at the British Museum’s 2018 temporary exhibition called ‘I object’. Photo my own.

Read more: https://britishmuseum.org/collection/object/G_1911-0901-1

mary beard

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17h
On Weds 22 Nov on

at 11.30, we introduce our third character in 'Being Roman'. A young boy poet who died aged 11, after performing in front of the emperor. We still have the poem. The whole series is here #

BBC Sounds - Being Roman with Mary Beard - Available Episodes Listen to the latest episodes of Being Roman with Mary Beard on BBC Sounds

CAS members - Have you signed up for our next event yet? 'Treasure' at the Grosvenor Museum: a look at finds acquired through the Portable Antiquities Scheme Treasure process. 6 December 14:45. Limited places; email Liz Montgomery to book.

CAS comment - a chance to have your say, including on heritage matters if you wish!

Cheshire West

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6h
This year, residents, community groups & partners joined a conversation to help shape what a Borough Plan could look like. This helped shape proposals, which set out the four year plan & focuses on working together for a stronger future.

Have your say 👉

Join the Conversation Your chance to shape your community and local services We are developing our Borough Plan for 2024-2028. We want to be sure we are taking the right approach to working together and improving our communities and local services over the next four years. This proposed plan

BasedInChurton

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11m
I used to walk the dog at Caergwrle Castle years ago. It was good to find the same bits of it still standing proud, although the info signage is long-gone. Built by Dafydd ap Gruffydd from 1278, with the help of Edward I, it was a most unlucky castle.

A visit to Dafydd ap Gruffydd’s 1278 castle at Caergwrle in northeast Wales On the top of a small hill formed of sandstone and grit, with good surrounding views, and relying partly on steep drops for its primary defence, Caergwrle Castle is ruined but contains the remains …

ChesterArchSoc

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1m
Cheshire West Council are seeking your views on budget-setting. As very year, immediate human needs loom large. But the the draft Heritage Strategy https://ehq-production-europe.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/e6aa0d74ed09677d1bedec5a82b902e3fbe3079d/original/1696422825/d775013a79375827e080918b695354a4_HeritageStrategyDocument_FINAL.pdf?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIA4KKNQAKICO37GBEP%2F20231115%2Feu-west-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20231115T213219Z&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=dcc2d4457e37192ef893f451ae4d8180dec3d77a7b864c8b88b0921e4380892b speaks of prioritising the heritage on which much of Chester's economy depends.

If you have any views, express them here https://participatenow.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/share-your-views-on-our-proposed-approach-to-the-council-budget/survey_tools/share-your-views-on-our-budget-proposals before 10 December.

Share your views on our proposed approach Stay informed by joining Participate Now

Liverpool1207

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Nov 12
An act with an incredible legacy. On 12th November 1898 Sir Alfred Lewis Jones offers a donation of £350 per annum for the study of tropical diseases
https://lstmed.ac.uk/about/125/the-lstm-story

CAS comment: Robert Newstead, best known now for his archaeological work in Chester, was lecturer and then professor there. See this presentation on his remarkable career on our websitehttps://chesterarchaeolsoc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/LRoyles-NewsteadLecture_05-12-09.pdf

Nantwich Museum

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1h
We're running a fundraising appeal to buy 4 local treasures for the Museum: late-medieval dress fastener, medieval mount, silver gilded crucifix & posy ring https://nantwichmuseum.org.uk/2023/11/10/help-us-buy-local-treasure-items/. Total £850. Donations large or small much appreciated, online https://nantwichmuseum.org.uk/donations/ or at Amgueddfa Llandudno Museum

Farndon, Cheshire

Roman Townfield Lane excavation page has now been updated with photos of the dig, maps, diagrams and more, click; https://tinyurl.com/2678j8pv

Good to lsee inks to the articles in JCAS on and the Roman villa on this website.

Farndon Parish History Website - Townfield Lane Roman Fortlet excavation Farndon, Cheshire - Parish History Web Site

'Treasure' - an introduction to the Grosvenor Museum's Treasure finds obtained via the Portable Antiquities Scheme Treasure process. CAS members - check your emails for invitations to this and other events. (No guarantee the satyr below will be on display!).

James Dixon

One of my favourite Chester buildings, Lyon House. It’s at the end of Weaver St now, but is actually 23 Watergate Row, and was historically accessed solely by alleyways, including one running south from what’s now the shopfront of Bravissimo,

CAS comment: It was upposedly on the site of the rear range of the courtyard behind Leche House on Watergate Street. For this and lots more, watch our film 'Galleries Which They Call the Rows' https://youtube.com/watch?v=u7pGc_omzkk.