Grosvenor Museum

THE GROSVENOR MUSEUM (Grosvenor Street)

Has been since 1886 the home of several learned societies. It houses a fine collection of antiquities mainly of local origin. The Roman section assembled by the Chester and North Wales Archaeological and Historic Society is particularly noteworthy, including as it does no less than sixteen examples of Roman altars, some of which are quite perfect, and numerous antefixes and tiles with the legionary stamp (Leg.XX Valeria Victrix) and tombstones obtained from the North Wall. The inscriptions on these tombstones belong for the most part to the period between A.D. 60 and 150, and show how early was the average age of death in those days. An excellent specimen has the full-length figures of a centurion and, curiously on a smaller scale, his wife, and it bears an inscription in Latin: "To the memory of Marcus Aurelius Nepos, centurion in the 20th Legion; erected by his dutiful wife. He lived 50 years."

The Museum offers two galleries on the Roman occupation , the Newstead Gallery which contains displays on the fortress and the Stones Gallery which holds a unique collection of tombstones of people who died at Deva. There is also the opportunity to handle Roman artifacts in the Education Centre, Officers can provide information and advice, talks or study sessions. When appropriate appointments can also be made through the Education staff of the Grosvenor Museum for school groups to visit excavations run by the Archaeological Service.Chester offers an exciting opportunity to study a Roman fortress through visible remains throughout the City some are in cellars of private buildings, shop or office's, remember access may be restricted