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:—
NVMINI . AVG
ALMAE . CET
NVS . ACTOR
EX . VOTO . FACI
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:—
COH . I . E. OCRATI
MAXIMINI . M . P
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 trident, and in the right a net, with which the combatant attempted to entangle his adversary, by throwing it over his head, and suddenly drawing it together, and then with his trident he usually slew him.
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.