The City of Chester [antikvár]

THE CITY OF CHESTER THE ANCIENT ROMAN FORTRESS OF DEVA In ad 43 four Roman legions and auxiliary troops landed in Kent and so began the Roman occupation of Britain that was to last for more than 300 years. As the frontiers of the new province of the Roman empire were pushed northwards and the local tribes subdued, forts and roads were built in the wake of the advancing troops, but it was not until the second half of the 1st century that the Romans were able to begin the building of the fortress on the Dee, which they named Deva. The site selected was ideal for military purposes. It was at the head of the tidal estuary of the river so that sea-going ships could anchor almost under the fortress walls and, at the same time, it was the lowest part of the river where it was feasible to build a bridge or construct a ford-crossing. There was a convenient sandstone plateau with command of the neighbouring countryside on which to build, and ample supplies of easily worked stone close at hand. So facing page, above: The Bishop's House, Abbey Square, is a gracious 18th~century residence. The King's School, now on the Wrexham Road, once occupied the 19th-century buildings on the south side, now a bank. facing page, below: Abbey Square contains many fine examples of 18th-century architecture; these charming liltle houses are next to the abbey's refectory. right: The 14th-century gateway to the old abbey has a good vaulted roof and made-up doors in either wall. Doubtless one woidd have led to a porter's lodge and the other perhaps to the almonry, where gifts were distributed to the poor. The abbey gate was an importatit feature of medieval Chester; at this spot each June a great fair was held on the feast of St Werburgh, and at Whitsuntide religious mystery plays were acted here. The gateway leads to the Town Hall Square atid Northgate Street. far as immediate defence was concerned, the Dee formed an L-shaped bend here, so by siting the fortress in the inner angle of this it could be protected on its southern and western sides by a natural moat. It was from about the late fifties of the 1st century that the legions began the construction in earth and timber of the future city of Chester. Of 'playing-card shape', that is a rectangle with rounded corners, it was about 450 yards from east to west and 650 yards from north to south, enclosing almost 60 acres within its walls. There were four gates, one in each side, and from these gates four main streets led to the central area of the fortress where the principia, or headquarters of the legion, stood. In modern Chester this site is now occupied partly