was away on business at Airbus UK in Broughton for
two weeks in April, and so stayed in Chester at the Mill Hotel. I managed to get
out an about around the Town quite a bit whilst there, and in particular visit
the local drinking hostelry's and eating establishments. I also managed to meet
up with some old friends and former work colleagues. I made sure that I
socialised every night whilst up there, including a night out with Mark Davies
in Chester, then with Jonathan & Tracy Bray in Birkenhead, and finally a night
out with some other Airbus guy's from various departments in the Historic City
Centre.
While at the West Factory (A380) in Airbus - Broughton on Monday 11th
April 2005, I was fortunate enough to meet the Prime Minister Tony Blair, the
Chancellor Gordon Brown, and the head of the Welsh assembly, Rhodri Morgan; as
well as a number of other signatories. It was just a spot of luck really, as it
was a bit of a surprise visit by them. They were on the Election trail, and
trying to create some good vibes about British manufacturing, after the collapse
of MG Rover. I managed to get a couple of words and a hand shake with Tony &
Gordon, whilst they were touring the factory. I was hoping to try to persuade Mr
Brown to give us hard working subbies a bit of a tax break, and maybe scrap this
ridiculous threat of IR35!
Chester Town Centre
Chester Cross stands
at the junction of Chester's four main streets and marks the heart of the city.
Carved from local sandstone in the 15th-century, the Cross was badly vandalised
during the English Civil War. Now much restored, it forms the backdrop for
Chester's popular Town Crier who greets visitors from its steps at 12.00 noon,
Tues-Sat, from Easter to October.
The rows are
two-story shops in the centre of Chester. So there are shops on street level and
on top of those shops are "balconies" that you can walk along and shops you can
go into. Sort of like in a modern shopping mall.
Chester Town Hall
The 5* Grovsenor
Hotel on Eastgate Street
The Eastgate Clock
is the main city centre land mark. People meet here (so not excuses for being
late!), it's a good place to start your walk around the city walls.
The clock is worth
another view as it is the second most photographed clock in Britain (after Big
Ben in London of course) The wrought iron and gilt work was considered too fancy
by many people. From its position on the city walls there is a great view down
the streets of Chester...a popular photo stop. Chester's most famous clock was
designed by the acclaimed local architect John Douglas to commemorate Queen
Victoria's Diamond Jubilee of 1897 - but not actually erected until 1899.
The black and white
timbered buildings in Chester may not be as old as you think....many are from
the Victorian age. Even so the styles around are pleasant to look at. Take time
to enjoy some of the detail closer up on the buildings.
The Roman
Amphitheatre
This is the largest
Roman amphitheatre in Britain and held about 7000 people. However only the
northern part has been excavated - hence not much to see really. It was used for
military practice, gladiator fights and public executions. Do not be deceived by
the remaining low curved wall enclosing the small central arena- the
Amphitheatre's massive exterior wall measured 320 by 286 feet (95.7 by 87.2
metres) and stood 40 feet (11.5 metres) above the Roman street level, around
twice the average present height of the city walls- you would have had to crane
your neck to see the top! The interior wall facing the arena stood twelve feet
high and the arena itself measured 190 by 160 feet (58 by 49.4 metres: an area
of 2230 sq m).
A long boat trip
down the Chester Canal
Just off the
Cathedral, these houses line a small street, more or less linking the Town/City
Hall with Eastgate. Apparently even though these houses may look highly
medieval, they actually date from the Victorian Era. If that's true, then the
street represents one of the oldest attempts at restoration and period
architecture that I've seen. If not, it's still quite cool.
Chester Racecourse
The racecourse is one of the oldest in Britain and you can get a good view of it
during the circuit of the walls. The home of Chester Races is the beautiful
65-acre Roodee - the "Sweet rood of Chester" (Gascoigne 1575)- whose curious
name derives from the Saxon Rood - a cross and the Norse suffix Eye - meaning an
island- literally 'The Island of the Cross'. In Saxon times, the waters of the
Dee covered the whole of this area with the exception of a small island upon
which stood a stone cross, the stump of which you may still see in the middle of
the racecourse today.
Robert at Chester
racecourse
The Old Dee Bridge,
comprising seven unequal arches and built much as we see it today - about the
year 1387, on the site of a succession of earlier wooden bridges and a pre-Roman
fording place. The bridge is mentioned as part of Chester's entry in the
Doomsday Book.
The walls of Chester
provide a lovely promenade around the city Centre. From here you'll see most of
the sights that you'll want to visit up close later. If you're looking for Roman
remains, remember that these are the reconstructed medieval walls, two sides of
which lay on top of remnants of the old Roman walls. The stones laid by the
Romans that are still visible are actually quite few.
The "Roman Garden"
moniker is something of a misnomer. Certainly there is no indication that a
garden existed on this site near Newgate during Roman times. The garden space
was, in fact, assembled in 1949 from bits and pieces of Roman artefacts found
throughout Chester. The project was initiated as Chester's contribution to the
1951 Festival of Britain. The gardens contain Roman columns and a "hypocaust" or
underfloor heating system. Today it is less a Roman archaeology attraction than
a quiet green space in the city centre. It makes a nice stopping off place if
you are walking the old city walls of Chester
Robert on the Roman
Walls
Chester City walls
date mainly from Medieval times and form an almost complete circle around the
City of Chester - the only complete city walls in Britain. The interesting
history of the walls and its special features is told on numerous information
plaques as you walk round. The roman walls were defended by 4 fortified gateways
and 26 towers. It was in the 18th century that the walls became a fashionable
promenade with the gateways being replaced with elegant arches. Today access to
the walls can be made at any of the gates and at various other points around
their circuit. There are wheelchair access points at the junction of Castle
Drive and Grosvenor Street, County Hall entrance, the corner of Duke Street and
Park Street, the Bell Tower, and Watergate Bridge.
The high ground over
the Amphitheatre
The old Northgate
was a toll gate and was under the charge of the city sheriffs. The new Northgate
was designed by Thomas Harrison and commissioned by the Earl of Grosvenor, the
Mayor, in 1807. The classical arched gate was built between 1808 -1810. The
Northgate is just by the Roman garden near to the amphitheatre.
Chester Cathedral
Towering above the
whole city is Chester Cathedral, originally an early 10th century church
dedicated to St Werburgh, a Mercian princess whose shrine became a medieval
pilgrimage. The composer Handel first rehearsed The Messiah here at Chester
Cathedral in 1742 - a copy of his marked score remains on display. Chester was
originally built by Saxon canons in the name of Saint Werburgh, a lady whose
claim to sainthood was not harmed by having three Saxon kings as relatives. The
second church on the site was built by Hugh "Lupus" (the Wolf), Earl of Chester,
in 1092, perhaps as expiation for his worldly excesses. Anselm of Bec, later
Archbishop of Canterbury, helped found Hugh's monastic settlement at Chester.
Beginning in 1250 yet a third church was begun, this time in Norman Gothic
style. The monks of Chester built the new church over the top of the old church,
which they dismantled from the inside! An unusual feature of Chester Cathedral
is the freestanding Bell Tower or campanile, built in 1974. It is the first such
separate bell tower built in Britain since the 15th century.
During your walk
around the walls Thomas Telford's impressive staircase of three wide deep locks
on the Shropshire Union Canal can be seen. They date from the time when Chester
was a thriving canal port, and its quite a feat for the canal boats to go
through them - can be quite a snarl up in the high season with the canal traffic
waiting to get through.
Robert on the Town
Walls at Dusk
The Queens College
There are many
quaint looking bars aligning the streets
A few beers downed
in the Marlborough Arms & the Queens Head
The Stanley Arms...
another local of mine during my stay!
The Mill Hotel was
formerly the original, Griffith's Corn Mill, which was built circa 1830
The reason that a
lot of people who work for Airbus (the Beer Drinkers) stay at the Mill
Hotel, mainly comes from it's terrific bar. It is nothing like the standard
hotel bar, it is much more like a local pub. and offers a massive selection of
local and nationwide cask beers. Mind you, not all Airbus staff stay here, most
of the white collar lot stay at either the Moathouse or the extravagant Grovsner
The Bar serves over
1000 different Traditional Beers per year and has featured in the CAMRA Good
Beer Guide since 1994 to the present day. It was awarded the Millennium Pub of
the year by the Chester and South Clwyd Branch of CAMRA. Not bad out of over 300
pubs in Chester alone.
The Canal runs
between the two wings of the Mill Hotel
The Mill Hotel has
it's own canal boat restaurant, known as the Mill Restaurant Cruiser. It
basically offers a canal cruise adventure through, and up and down the lock
while you devour your lunch, dinner or weekend brunch. It is a fantastic
way to enjoy your food, whilst still being on the move. For more details, see
the
Chester Guidebook below, or visit
the Mill Hotel.
The view from my
Hotel Room, and putting me feet up...
Chester Guidebook
2005...
All photographs were taken in Chester - England from the
11th to 14thy April 2005
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