Sightseeing Information; a walk around the walls by Patrizia Flick 1) Eastgate with Clock The Eastgate Clock was erected (errichtet) to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897.Both the current and medieval (=mittelalterlich) East Gates were built on the site of the original East Gate of the Roman Fortress (Festung). The Eastgate was considered the main entrance to the City. 2) Selected View: From Eastgate Looking West into the City This view is of Eastgate Street and, at the far end, the Cross. Eastgate was one of the four main Roman Streets and during the Roman period it was known as the Via Principalis. Many of the buildings are in black and white 'magpie' style influenced by the half‐timber revival encouraged by the architect Thomas Penson. From 1830 the street was transformed from its former Georgian brick facades. 3) Cathedral & Bell Tower Since 1541 the cathedral has been the centre of worship (Verehrung, Anbetung), administration, ceremony and music for the city and diocese (Bistum). The cathedral has been modified many times and a free‐standing bell‐tower was added in the 20th century. Today the buildings (cathedral and Bell Tower) are major tourist attraction in Chester. The cathedral is also used as a venue for concerts and exhibitions (Ausstellungen). 1 4) Kaleyards Gate The Kaleyard Gate is a small gateway located behind the Cathedral. Its original purpose was to provide the Monks(Mönche) of the Abbey access to their Kale plants just outside the Walls. The gate was created in 1275. 5) Deanery Fields At the Deanery Fields excavations (Ausgrabungsstätte) have unearthed (ausgegraben) the foundations of the Roman barracks (Kaserne). 6) King Charles/Phoenix Tower Standing on the North‐East corner of the city walls over looking the canal, is the tower called "King Charles's Tower". Called so because legend has told it; on the 24th of September 1645 King Charles stood on the tower and watched his army defeated in the battle of Rowton Moor. This fact is not correct because you cannot see Rowton from the tower. It is situated 3 miles to the West of Chester on the modern A41 road before Christleton. What he may have seen however, was his defeated army fleeing back to the safety of the city after the battle in the evening. The Inscription above the door reads : 'King Charles Stood on this Tower Sept. 24 1645. And saw his army defeated on Rowton Moor'. 7) Shropehire Union Canal The Shropshire Union Canal follows the old Chester Canal built in 1772 to connect Chester and Nantwich. The canal passes alongside the city walls of Chester in a deep, vertical red sandstone cutting. 2 8) Original Roman Wall A section of the city walls has collapsed. Unfortunately it has been necessary to close a short section of your normal route. 9) Northgate The present arched (gewölbt)Northgate was built by Thomas Harrison the architect of many other neo‐classical buildings in Chester in 1810. This gate is on the highest point in the centre of the city. 10) Selected View: From Northgate looking South into the City Northgate Street is today a mix of building styles and ages ‐ this includes flat fronted Georgian brick facades. In the distance is the spire of the Victorian Gothic Town Hall built in 1869. On the Western side of the street, in the mid distance, are two buildings of particular note: the 15th century Blue Bell (now a restaurant) and the 17th century Pied Bull Hotel (still a traditional inn). 11) Blue Coat School The Blue Coat Hospital was Chester's first charity school. The surviving building was constructed in 1717 on the site of a medieval hospital. The school had been created to educate poor boys. The building continued as a school until 1949. It now houses the Department of History and Archaeology for the University of Chester. 12) Bridge of Sighs A narrow bridge, dating from 1773, crosses the ravine (Schlucht) through which the canal passes. Its name originates from the tradition that prisoners used to cross the bridge from the city jail to a chapel (Kapelle) in the Bluecoat School for their last rites prior to execution. 13) Morgan’s Mount Probably on the site of an earlier watch tower, this structure is named after the commander of a battery of guns positioned here to defend the city during the Civil War. 3 14) St. Martin’s Gate A concrete (Beton) footbridge over the 1960s Inner Ring Road which, controversially, punched through the City Wall. The bridge was opened in 1966. 15) Pemberton’s Parlour Its current name is from its use by John Pemberton. He had a rope works below and used the tower to keep an eye on his workmen. It was rebuilt in 1893 after the earlier tower fell down. 16) Selected View: From Wall near Bonewaldesthorne’s Tower looking North The large expanse (weite Wasserfläche)of water is Chester's canal basin (Becken). This was built as an interchange in the 18th century between the Port of Chester at Crane Wharf and a canal system that ultimately linked Chester to the Midlands via Nantwich and to Ellesmere Port. 17) Bonewaldesthorne’s Tower The tower we see today is the new tower, which is open for the public on certain days of the year. In the past the tower was used as a guard tower. 18) Water TowerThe Water Tower is located on the end of a spur wall ( Felswand/Felsbrocken) on the north west corner of the city walls. The Water Tower or as it was called then 'new tower' was constructed in the time of Edward II (1322‐25). 19) Selected View: From Wall near Bonewaldesthorne’s Tower looking West In medieval times you would have been looking over water at this point since the River Dee once flowed below the Walls. 4 20) Infirmary (Krankenhaus) The infirmary was opened in 1761 and the institution became 'Royal' when a new wing was opened by King George V in 1914. Most of the site was demolished in the late 1990s following the opening of the Countess of Chester Hospital to the North of the City. The building has since been converted into apartments. 21) Queen’s School The school was built in 1882. It has a statue of Queen Victoria in a recess(Nische/Winkel) above the former main doorway. The school was established for 'middle‐class girls' in 1878. Today the school still offers an outstanding education to girls between the ages of four and eighteen. 22) Watergate The present arched Watergate was built in 1788 (designed by Joseph Turner). The medieval gate had earlier often been referred to simply as the 'West Gate'. The term Watergate reflects the fact that the gateway provided access to the river and port. 23) Selected View: Westwards Over Roodee (above ‘Roman Quary’) At this spot horse raising was shown, it began 1540. Today the place is used for all sorts of public events. 5 24) Selected View: South West over Little Roodee ( above Model Bridge) The triangle of land here is known as the Little Roodee. It was once part of a larger Roodee but the construction of the Grosvenor Bridge, bisected ( zweiteilte) it to form the present Roodee and Little Roodee. The Grosvenor Bridge had the widest single span stone arch (200 ft) in Europe when it was opened by the (then) Princess Victoria in 1832. 25) Castel Chester Castle is a Norman stone motte and bailey fortress (Außenfestung), founded by Hugh de Avranches, earl of Chester. Sadly all that is left of this large and important castle, are fragments of the 12th century inner and outside wall, the Flag Tower and the original inner outside gateway, the Agricola Tower. In the 18th century the remaining medieval buildings and towers, were levelled, to make way for a new barrack block and the Assize County Courts, with the car park giving the layout of the outer bailey. 26) County Hall The County Hall was completed in 1957. The short section of Castle Drive in front of the Building is the only true break in the circuit of walls‐ which were demolished in 1901. 27) Shipgate An early medieval gate existed on this site and is believed to have led to a ferry . The gateway still exists having been relocated and rebuilt. 28) Bridgegate The present arched Bridgegate was built in 1782 (designed by Joseph Turner). Its name reflects the fact that it connects the city to the medieval (Old) Dee Bridge. The Old Dee Bridge was the lowest bridged crossing point on the river to North Wales. Bridgegate Bridgegate & Old Dee Bridge 6 29) Selected View: From Bridgegate view North (up Lower Bridge Street) Looking up Lower Bridge Street you can see a mix of architectural styles. Of particular note is the Bear (Bär) and Billet (Knüppel) , now a public house, which dates from 1664. It was the residence of the Earl of Shrewsbury whose heraldic device (Wappenzeichen) was a bear and billet. 30) Selected View: From Bridgegate view South (across River) From here you are looking at what was the site of the lowest bridged crossing of the River Dee for centuries until the opening of the Grosvenor Bridge. On the far bank (weiter weg)is the village now suburb (Stadtrandsiedlung) of Handbridge, home to the fishing community located in Greenway Street whose boats still lie in the river downstream of the bridge. The area below the weir (the Earl's then King's Pool) has been an important fishery since Norman times. In particular, before steps were built into the weir, fish would wait below it until a high tide allowed them to pass upstream.