For more things you didn’t know about  Chester go here:  Ten great facts you might not know about Chester

Oh and a Hypocaust:

 https://www.britannica.com/technology/hypocaust

 

 

 

Chester Christmas Market – 10th Anniversary

 

 

CHESTER – AT A GLANCE

Chester is an English city I have never been to  and I’ve been to several—infact had plan to included it in my next visit to UK—but all kinds of things messed up my plans and though we’re getting a 2023  trip ready Chester didn’t make thee final cut—VERY SADLY.

 

 

A Walk Through Chester, England

 

But doubt this city will miss my friends and I very much….she’s said to have been around for close to a thousand years—That’s good for even the UK.    Seems it all started out with the Romans building a fort on the River Dee….these walls of defense inspired the city walls whose lines they followed—and surprise those walls with their circuit of 2 miles of rampart walk from which if you take the walk will give a good view of the city.

Christmas at the Crimson

Along your walk you’ll see King Charles I Tower where King Charles I is said to have watched his army defeated by the Parlimentarians in 1845,  and has a exhibit of the Civil War.

 

 

 Take a tour through Christmas’ past

 

 

 Water Tower, Chester

 

There’s the Water Tower also with an exhibit—this one illustrating medieval Chester.

 

 

Where to see Santa in Cheshire this Christmas

The Goblin Tower

The Goblin Tower is also Pemberton’s Palour (he was reportedly a rope maker who worked around here.

Christmas at Cheshire Oaks 2022 – Winter Village, German markets, Santa Experience

 

Haunted Chester: Ghost stories and spooky goings on from throughout history

 

 

This location also has wishing steps where if you can run up and down and up once more with out breathing in you will be granted a wish—think I’ll skip that one.

 

 

Pantomimes and Christmas Performances

 

Roman Amphitheatre – Chester

East of New Gate you’ll find a Roman Amphithatre.

 

 

BeWILDerwood Presents Christmas

But let’s leave the walls and see what else there is to offer—

AH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Rows, Chester

I mean this is what Chester is really known for–a design of Rows of double tiers full of shops giving you and your fellow gawkers a place to walk about and see the sights as well as the shops.

 

 

 

 

MORE SPIRITS THAN YOU BARGAINED FOR AT THE PIED BULL

THE PIED  BULL

 

A hostelry since the Dissolution. when it was called Bullmansion.  It was at that time owned by Richard Sneejd.   But reportedly it hit its high point when a Chester family named Grindetch (sp) owned and operated it in the 16th century. Today it has a modern staircase.

 

 

The Rows Christmas Bazaar

 

 

 

Burrow Mump

Which among other things has evidence of Roman occupation.

 

 

Christmas Party Night

 

 

Welcome

Chester Cathedral

12 Abbey Square on Old North Gate Street

According to the legends there was originally a Druid Temple here, after which came an equally pagan Roman one dedicated to Appollo.  Christianity became a state religion of Rome in the temple became a church—while others insist that the first Christian church was founded by King Alfred’s daughter (Mercins) to house the St Werburgh in 907.   Some say that there is doumentation that there may well have been a church here as early as 660.

Most seem to agree it was built in the 10th century for a shrine for  St Werburg

Who was a Mercian Princess whose shrine became a medieval site (which contained 875 of her reics)for pilgrimage.

1092 found a Norman Earl of Chester, Hugh Luyus (the Wolf) a nephew of William the Conqueror–who  founded a  Monastery here in the heart of his administration under the religious authority of Anselm an Abbot also from Normandy—It was done in Romanesque Building Style with rounded head arches and solid masonary.  The last domestic building–the Charter House was done in 1250, with the church re-built for the first time in 1260.

 

Building and remodeling continued on and off until the Dissolution under Henry VIII in 1539 when the monestaries and Charter House and other Monk related organization was ceased forever.  The last Abbot became the first Dean of the Cathedral while the senior monks became the first canons.

It was named a Cathedral in 1541

In 1742 Handel rehearshed the Messiah here for the first time.

Restoration began in 1830—with the majority being during 1868 – 76…and then later work being done in the 20th and 21st century

 

The church contains 14 c carved chior stalls and the buildings here are considered to be some of the finest in Britain.

The city wall here is said to be the best preserved in the town.

There also is:

Refectory Cafe       (open 9:30 – 4:30 )                                  Built in 13th c                                       it was a dining hall for the monks who belonged to this community.

There is a tour available that takes one behind the scenes and is said to provide “unparralled level of public access.”     And a Tower Tour which involces both Medieval and mondern evens and facts.

 

Sunday Brunch with Santa

 

Chester Heritage Center

This was the first of it’s kind in Briton when it was established and tracks how the city developed over its many years among other things

 

 

 

 

Operating since 1924.  Open top buses

40 min tour