Introduction
Founded in 1849, the Society was first entitled the ‘Chester Architectural, Archaeological, and Historic Society’, or more fully the ‘Architectural, Archaeological and Historic Society for the County, City and Neighbourhood of Chester’. In 1886 this was reduced to the ‘Chester Archaeological and Historic Society’ but the word ‘Architectural’ was soon restored and ‘North Wales’ added. In 1966 the title was finally reduced to the simple ‘Chester Archaeological Society’ without any narrowing of the Society’s purposes.
Notwithstanding generally increased specialisation within the historical disciplines and the redrawing of local government boundaries, the Society continues to have a wide range of interests and a broad geographical scope.
The Society’s first journal was published in 1857 and since 1887 has generally appeared on an annual basis. Some issues have been devoted to particular subjects, such as Chester’s city walls, the Rows, and the charters of the earldom of Chester. In addition, two special publications celebrate the history of the Society on its 150th anniversary and review research on Roman Chester since the early 1960s.
In recent years the Society has carried out excavations at Heronbridge, which as well as shedding more light on the Roman roadside settlement have revealed a cemetery probably related to the early seventh-century Battle of Chester.
In addition to its regular lectures and fieldtrips the Society makes grants to support historical and archaeological research, responds to consultations on local heritage matters and takes part in a variety of public events. For more information see www.chesterarchaeolsoc.org.uk.
OverviewThree volumes of the journal (the ‘old series’) were published between 1857 and 1885, albeit with a gap between 1864 and 1885. The ‘new series’ began in 1887 and continues to this day. Volumes up to 37 were often published in several parts.
Volumes up to 71 include the proceedings of the Society. Volumes since 84 have included annual summaries of fieldwork in Cheshire and of discoveries reported to the Portable Antiquities Scheme.
In addition to the regular volumes of the journal are a history of the Society, The Chester Archaeological Society: the first one hundred and fifty years (1999), and Deva Victrix (2002), a review of research on Roman Chester since the early 1960s.
The collection includes old series vol 1 (1857) to new series vol 84 for 2010-14, plus the two special volumes. Further volumes will be added in three-year blocks.
Many of the early volumes of the journal scanned for this collection had clearly once been the personal copies of leading members of the Society, especially Professor Robert Newstead. No attempt has been made to erase their marginal handwritten notes.
Copyright
The articles available here in digital form, and any copyright material within them, remain the copyright of their authors, the Chester Archaeological Society and any other copyright holders. They may be downloaded for research and teaching purposes but must not be otherwise sold or made available in any medium with or without charge, unless with the prior written consent of the Society and other relevant copyright holders.
If anyone has concerns about their material being reproduced here they should contact the Society’s Editor at chesterarchaeologicalsociety@gmail.com.
