Minerva's Shrine, Chester
Encyclopedia
Minerva's Shrine, Chester, is a shrine to the Roman goddess, Minerva
, in Edgar's Field, Handbridge
, Chester
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade I listed building.
The shrine dates from the early 2nd century and is carved into the face of a sandstone
quarry. It is the only monument of its kind in Western Europe that remains in its original location. It is protected by a 19th-century stone surround with a hood and it was refurbished in the late 20th century. The carving has weathered over the centuries and has also been damaged by human activity. Next to the shrine is an opening into the rock face which is possibly a natural fissure that has been enlarged and which is known as 'Edgar's Cave'.
The shrine stands beside the route of the old main Roman road into the fortress from the south. Minerva was the Roman goddess of war, knowledge and craftsmanship. She is often depicted with her attributes of helmet, shield, breastplate, and spear, but in this instance, she is shown in a simplified form, standing in a representation of a temple. The Roman quarry, together with Edgar's field and the image of Minerva, are a Scheduled Monument.
Minerva
Minerva was the Roman goddess whom Romans from the 2nd century BC onwards equated with the Greek goddess Athena. She was the virgin goddess of poetry, medicine, wisdom, commerce, weaving, crafts, magic...
, in Edgar's Field, Handbridge
Handbridge
Handbridge is a district of Chester, England on the south bank of the River Dee. A settlement has existed on the site since the Iron age , but the site saw major expansion during the collapse of the Roman occupation of Britain, as the city grew too large for its walls...
, Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade I listed building.
The shrine dates from the early 2nd century and is carved into the face of a sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
quarry. It is the only monument of its kind in Western Europe that remains in its original location. It is protected by a 19th-century stone surround with a hood and it was refurbished in the late 20th century. The carving has weathered over the centuries and has also been damaged by human activity. Next to the shrine is an opening into the rock face which is possibly a natural fissure that has been enlarged and which is known as 'Edgar's Cave'.
The shrine stands beside the route of the old main Roman road into the fortress from the south. Minerva was the Roman goddess of war, knowledge and craftsmanship. She is often depicted with her attributes of helmet, shield, breastplate, and spear, but in this instance, she is shown in a simplified form, standing in a representation of a temple. The Roman quarry, together with Edgar's field and the image of Minerva, are a Scheduled Monument.