Roman wall unearthed at city site

Archaeologists working in Leicester say they will be able to find out more about the city's history after the discovery of part of a Roman wall.

The find was made by experts excavating the new Shires Shopping Centre site on Freeschool Lane.

It is a large section of wall and an archway, believed to be part of a market hall.

The building was first discovered in the 1950s under High Cross Street, but this section of the wall had collapsed.

Wall collapse

It is made out of rough stone, with a series of tiles running through it.

Archaeologist Richard Buckley said this was an exciting development because finds were normally foundations, not walls.

"One of the walls of that building collapsed onto our site and then was buried under many layers of later buildings.

"It's given us the first hint of what other buildings looked like in Roman Leicester above the ground," he said.

The team of 25 archaeologists will now try to discover why the wall collapsed and find out if the exterior of the building was decorated.

They have also discovered part of an Anglo-Saxon building dating to the sixth or seventh century attached to the wall.

The excavation of the site is due to be completed in September.