da' field edgar's Discover Edgar's Field A guide to the heritage in and around Edgar's Field, , Discover Edgar's Field

edgar's field Introduction Edgar's Field is a public park in Chester's southern suburb of Handbridge. It lies immediately south of the River Dee near to the southern end of the .

The park occupies 2¼ acres (approx. 1 hectare) of land. It has a rich history and is home to a Roman shrine to the goddess Minerva. Part of the park is designated as a Regionally Important Geodiversity Site (RIGS).

It is a place with spectacular views of some of Chester's key heritage features including the River Dee and its bridges. It is next to Greenway Street - the traditional home of the local fishing community. Fishing boats can still be seen in the river from the park.

Edgar's Field is only a short distance from Chester city centre. It can be reached by crossing the river by the Old Dee Bridge, or alternatively the Queen's Park Suspension Bridge from The Groves or a more adventurous route via the Edgar's Field and the River Dee Grosvenor Bridge. Possible routes are shown on the attached map.

Images courtesy of: Grosvenor Museum Chester Archaeology Chester C Chester City Council 2007 City Council Chester History & Heritage Stephen Player

Fishing boats in the river Discover Edgar's Field

Care & Friends edgar's field Wheelchair Access Consideration of Edgar's Field Edgar's Field contains There are two entrances into This information has been heritage features of regional, the park - via the Old Dee produced by Chester City national and international Bridge or Greenway Street. Council with the Friends of importance. We hope that The entrance from the Old Edgar's Field Park. This is you enjoy your visit. Dee Bridge is suitable for a group of local residents wheelchair users. Note: and other users of the park When visiting Edgar's Field there are wheelchair please: accessible parking bays in whose aims include the Little Roodee Car Park working with the Council Be safe - especially as which is reached via Castle to: there are steep drops Drive. from the rock outcrops promote the heritage, and the nearby river is Greenway Street has education, safe use and tidal and swift flowing cobbled surfaces and, enjoyment of the Park therefore, this entrance may for all users of all ages Leave property as you not be suitable for some find it and help protect wheelchair users. act as a voice for local the rich heritage of this people, residents and site The pathways in the park are visitors to the Park generally accessible. Geology and Roman shrine Keep dogs under close However, the area in front of regarding its upkeep control Minerva's Shrine is grass and its amenities with no pathway to the Put litter and other waste in monument and the nearby encourage and to help the appropriate bins path is sloped with a resource new facilities, provided, or take it home relatively steep gradient. activities and events, with you which are in keeping There is an alternative level with the Park's history Consider other people pathway near to the river that and traditions. using the park or in the may be more accessible for neighbouring properties. wheelchair users and others with limited mobility.

Pathway along the river Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Licence number 100023277 c OS mapping base Designed and produced by Chester City Council 2007

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Grosvenor railway The Roodee Riverside Promenade Edgar's Field Duke, King and Goddess A Gift from a Duke Edgar's Field was laid out as a public park by the first Duke of Westminster, Hugh Lupus Grosvenor. He presented it to the City of Chester in 1892 as one of the family's many philanthropic activities. The long established name of the area was Kettle's Croft but this was changed to Edgar's Field. The Park and the River Dee Hugh Lupus Grosvenor Named after a King Tradition has it that the field was the site of King Edgar's palace. King Edgar, the great-grandson of Alfred the Great, was King of Wessex and all . He was crowned in Bath in 973 although he had ascended the throne in 959. Shortly after his coronation he brought his fleet to Chester, then an important port. It is thought that he was rowed up the River Dee by eight British princes to attend a service in St John's Church. This act symbolised their recognition of Edgar as their overlord. It is unlikely that Edgar had a palace here but it may have been the spot from which he was rowed to St John's. King Edgar on the Dee

Home to a Goddess In the Park is a Roman shrine to the goddess Minerva. She is the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Athena. Minerva was the goddess of wisdom, arts and crafts, and (defensive) war. She is here because the site was once a Roman quarry and Minerva would have been the patron goddess of those working there. In the Roman world, Minerva was the daughter of Jupiter. One day Jupiter had a headache and his head was split open to relieve the pain. Out jumped Minerva as an adult in armour with her shield and spear. Minerva's Shrine in 1829 Edgar's Field Rocks and Romans From Sand to Sandstone Within the park are two large rock outcrops where sandstone is clearly exposed. These rocks were laid down as sandy sediments in the Triassic period (some 250 million years ago). Then 'Chester' was at the same latitude as the present day Sahara. The sequence is known as the Chester Pebble Beds, although in Edgar's Field Sandstone outcrop with Minerva pebbles are rare. The sandy material was deposited by a large 'Chester in the Triassic period' braided river (with numerous shifting channels) flowing through a desert landscape. It has since been compacted into the sedimentary rock sandstone - typically stained red by iron oxide. Over this immense span of time Chester's location has very slowly moved north through the process of continental drift.

Roman Raw Material Edgar's Field was once a Roman quarry. The Romans founded Chester as the legionary fortressDeva around 70AD. It was to be c Stephen Player

their largest fortress in Britain and was occupied by them until the Roman quarrymen at work end of the 4th century. The vast quantity of stone needed to build the fortress walls and buildings was quarried from sites such as Edgar's Field. Local stone was used to avoid the difficulties of transporting heavy and bulky material over longer distances. The Roman quarrymen would have used wooden wedges and hammers to extract the rock. Although Edgar's Field may also have been quarried in later times (such as the Middle Ages), its origins are unmistakeably Roman because of the presence of the carved shrine to the goddess Minerva.

Deva's sandstone walls Edgar's Field A Riverside Setting The Dee Runs By The River Dee runs along the northern edge of the park. Between Handbridge and the city the river flows through a narrow gap cut into a sandstone ridge. This gap has been modified from Roman times because of quarrying (not just in Edgar's Field but at other places along the riverside) and in later years by embankments along Castle River Dee next to Edgar's Field Drive and The Groves. Edgar's Field c1911

A River of Natural Importance The Dee is of national and international importance being designated both as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a European Special Area of Conservation (SAC). It is notified as a SSSI because of its range of river types and as an ecosystem for migratory fish. The section next to Edgar's Field is tidal so that the water level changes throughout the day. High tides are able to pass over the nearby weir. One important aspect of both designations is the presence in the river of the Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar ). These fish migrate from the sea up the Dee to spawn (release their eggs and breed) in its upper tributaries in Wales. Salmon and other fish were the basis of the local fishing industry.

Geography for a Fortress The course of the Dee and the presence of the sandstone ridge provided a good location for the Romans to build their legionary Deva and the river fortressDeva . This was named after the local Celtic name of the river which meant 'goddess' or 'holy one'. From this is also derived the modern name of the river ... the 'Dee'. Heritage Features

lower bridge st v viewpoints 8 st mary's hill features viewed from the park 2 shipgate st 9 5 features within the park

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Chester city walls 11 4 footpaths 12 10

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250m OS mapping base c Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Licence number 100023277 250yds Designed and produced by Chester City Council 2007 Features in the park Edgar's Field Rock Outcrops R There are two large blocks of rock that have been left standing and not removed by the quarrying operations in Edgar's Field. Their overall red colour is caused by iron oxide. Many Chester buildings are built of, or incorporate, such red sandstone. The exposed vertical face of the outcrop nearest to the river, in particular, shows a number of geological structures including: Cross Bedding Cross Bedding These are sequences of thin layers of rock at obvious angles with the set of layers above at different angles to the set below. This structure Sandstone outcrop reflects the manner of the deposition of the sediment in sand bars in the prehistoric braided (multiple channel) river. When the river channels moved, the bars changed position to give these different angles.

Slumping Here the rock is wavy and distorted. This structure is caused by the collapse of soft wet sediments so that different layers become Slumping buckled.

Differential Weathering Weathering is the natural process (for example, due to water and frost) by which rock is broken into fragments. This process returns sandstone into sand. Differential weathering occurs when different layers of rock are worn away at different rates because some layers are softer and therefore more easily weathered than others.

Differential weathering Features in the park Edgar's Field Minerva's Shrine M On the sandstone outcrop towards the centre of the park is the Roman Shrine to the goddess Minerva. It is carved into the rock face and is now the only monument of its kind in Western Europe that remains in its original location.

Minerva was the Roman goddess of war, knowledge, learning, craftsmanship and the arts. She would, therefore, have been seen as The shrine today an important protector of the Romans working in the quarry.

The carving has weathered over time so that the figure of the goddess is now only a faint outline. Also, it has been subject to some pretty harsh treatment over the years. This has included it being accidentally hit by practice rifle shooting during the Second World War, for which it still bears pit marks. It is said that the shrine might only have survived the Middle Ages because it was thought to be an image of the Virgin Mary.

Minerva in Roman times In Roman times Minerva's characteristic warlike clothing with helmet, Close-up of the shrine today c Stephen Player spear and shield together with her symbol of an owl would have been very obvious and probably painted. Offerings would have been left at the shrine to gain help and protection - possibly on an altar at its base.

Next to the carving is an opening into the rock face. This is possibly a natural fissure that was enlarged after the shrine was cut. It is now known as 'Edgar's Cave'.

Pit mark from accidental rifle shot Features viewed from the park Edgar's Field Handbridge Handbridge is the name of this road as well as the suburb (originally a village). Its name appears to be derived from the Old English for 1 bridge (bruge) at a rock (hane). The reference to rock may indeed be related to the nearby outcrops in Edgar's Field, or possibly the rocky nature of the riverbed at this point. For centuries it was the main road connecting Chester to North Wales. Handbridge in 1852

St Mary-Within-the-Walls The red sandstone tower belongs to St Mary-Within-the-Walls. A church here dates from Norman times and has been closely 2 associated with . It was badly damaged during the siege of Chester in the Civil War (1646). The building, including the tower, was restored in the mid 19th century by James Harrison. It is now used as a centre for conferences and meetings. St Mary's - late 19th Century

St Mary-Without-the-Walls The imposing red sandstone tower and spire belong to Chester's other St Mary's... St Mary-Without-the-Walls. This church was built in 3 1887 at the expense of the 1st Duke of Westminster. When opened it replaced St Mary-Within-the-Walls as the parish church. It stands on the hill on the opposite bank of the river in Handbridge and is therefore outside the city walls. St Mary's early 1900's Features viewed from the park Edgar's Field Old Dee Bridge This 14th century sandstone bridge replaced earlier timber bridges and stands near the site of the original Roman bridge. Until 1832, 4 when the Grosvenor Bridge was opened, it was the lowest bridging point on the River Dee providing the crossing to North Wales. There was once a gatehouse with a drawbridge at the Handbridge end of the bridge instead of the present (seventh) stone arch. Former gatehouse

Weir The weir can be seen through the arches of the bridge. It was built by the Normans to direct water to a waterwheel that powered a corn mill 5 on the city side of the river. Also, fish congregated below the weir making conditions ideal for fishing. In the early 20th century a series of broad steps were built alongside it to help migrating salmon pass it at low water. Weir in the 19th century

Hydro-Electric Power Station Built in 1913, it is thought to have been the first hydro-electric station supplying an English city. It used the head of water created by the 6 weir to generate electricity as it passed through turbines. Previously this was the site of the water-powered Dee Mills (corn) which were demolished in 1910. Since 1951 the building has been used as a water supply pumping station. Dee Mills in 1851 Features viewed from the park Edgar's Field King's Pool The area below the weir and around the Old Dee Bridge is known as the King's Pool. Before the earldom of Chester passed to the Crown 7 in 1237 it was called the Earl's Pool. It was here that an important fishery developed since fish could only pass over the weir at high tide. After the Norman Conquest all fishing had been under the control of the Earl of Chester. Fishing in the King's Pool 1930s

St John's Church Beyond the Old Dee Bridge is the Church of St John the Baptist on high ground above the river. It was to this important Saxon Minster 8 that King Edgar was rowed up the Dee in 973. Its interior is largely Norman but its present exterior is mostly Victorian. It once had a tall west tower but this fell down in 1881 and the stone used to embank part of The Groves. St John's with west tower 1749

Bridgegate This cream-grey sandstone classical arch dates from 1781. It replaced the former medieval gothic Bridgegate (with a 17th century 9 water supply tower). This gateway leads to the bridge - hence its name Bridgegate. It has, however, also been known as the South Gate, reflecting its position in the city walls, or Welsh Gate since it provided access (via the bridge) to North Wales. Medieval Bridgegate in the C18th Features viewed from the park Edgar's Field Castle Drive This area was greatly modified in 1901 when the tree-lined Castle Drive was laid out. The section seen from Edgar's Field was formerly 10 a very different place as Skinners Lane. From medieval times up to the late 18th century it was an industrial area with skinners and at one time an acid works. There had also been an important anchorage here, below the Castle, since the arrival of the Normans. Skinner's Lane - early C19th

County Hall Completed in 1957, this building houses County Council. It 11 occupies the site of the former County Gaol built by Thomas Harrison (opened 1793, demolished 1902) to replace the gaol in the castle which had been compared by the prison reformer, John Howard, to the 'Black Hole of Calcutta'. Here for a few yards is the only true break in the otherwise complete circuit of city walls around Chester. County Gaol - late 19th century

Chester Castle Chester Castle is probably best seen from Edgar's Field during the winter when the trees are not in leaf. During this time, one of the few 12 remaining medieval structures can be seen - the red sandstone Agricola Tower. The Castle was founded by William the Conqueror in 1070. It was the stronghold of the Earls of Chester and the base for military campaigns including Edward I's conquest of Wales. Chester Castle in 1749 Features viewed from the park Edgar's Field Grosvenor Bridge When opened in 1832 by Princess Victoria this elegant bridge had 13 the widest single stone span (61m) in the world. It was designed by 13 Chester's Georgian architect Thomas Harrison as part of the road improvements to . He died in 1829 before it was completed. It is constructed of creamy-grey sandstone from the Peckforton Hills to the south of Chester. Under construction

Greenway Street This cobbled street is the traditional home of Chester's fishing 14 community. Once known as Sty or Stile Lane, its current name may 14 be after Joseph Greenway who rented the salmon cage (a piece of equipment for catching salmon) in the 1840s. The river below the weir was an important fishery up to the 20th century. At one time the riverside here would have had fishing nets hung out to dry. Greenway St - early C19th

Road to 'Nowhere' This road leads to a house called 'Nowhere'. Its name may arise from its one-time use as an after hours drinking den. When wives asked 15 15 their husbands when they returned home late and drunk where they had been they would answer 'nowhere'. Local folklore claims that it inspired the Beatles song 'Nowhere Man' after the band heard of it during a visit to Chester in the early 1960s. Nets along the 'road' in 1857