The "Roman Garden" monicker is something of a misnomer. Certainly there is no indication that a garden existed on this site near Newgate during Roman times. The garden space was, in fact, assembled in 1949 from bits and pieces of Roman artifacts found throughout Chester. The project was initiated as Chester's contribution to the 1951 Festival of Britain.

The gardens contain Roman columns and a "hypocaust" or underfloor heating system. Today it is less a Roman archaeology attraction than a quiet green space in the city centre. It makes a nice stopping off place if you are walking the old city walls of Chester.

The gardens were remodeled in 2000 to provide access to the River Dee. Interpretive panels tell the story of Roman Chester and the garden site.

Description and Background

The Roman Gardens are located outside the City Walls to the South East of the City and form part of the popular tourist route around the Town, as well as an educational resource for school children. The Gardens have been refurbished by Chester City Council's Countryside and Landscape Development team, made possible by substantial sponsorship from the Late Duchess of Westminster, Capital Bank and Chester Access Group.

The design of the site makes use of the existing steep gradients and the good vantage point on the City Walls, forming a pattern of snaking paths and geometric shapes which is representative of a serpent coiled around a staff the symbol of Aesulapius the Roman God of Health. The gently sloping paths allow disabled access forming an easy link between the City Centre and the River Dee. Many of the existing trees were retained and artefacts relocated and restored with additional interpretation to improve the educational value of the site. Much of the planting is linked to Roman times being introduced by them or used for medicinal purposes.