THE WALLS
Bagshaws Chester Directory
Chester is entirely
surrounded by walls, which are among the most perfect examples
of such fortification to be found in the kingdom :
They are built of soft freestone and are nearly two miles in circumference varying from about 12 to 40 feet in
height, with a paved walk on the top, of sufficient width in the narrowest part to admit of two persons walking
abreast ;
The view from this walk includes the Roodee, or racecourse, the river Dee and Peckforton and Beeston Castles and
the mountains of Flintshire and Denbigshire ;
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the walls
are said to have been rebuilt and their circuit enlarged by Ethelred and Ethelfleda, Earl & Countess of Mercia
, about the year 908, and they still have, besides postern's, four principal gates, viz. - East gate North gate Water gate . East gate consists of a single lofty arch for the passage of wheeled vehicles . and two posterns for foot passengers ; it was built in 1769 on the site of the ancient gate, at the expense of Richard, 1st baron Grosvenor, whose arms, with those of the city, occupy the centre of the archway, |
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Northgate Prison |
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Water gate , built of local red sandstone
, painted to imitate freestone , was built in 1788 , on the site of the ancient Water gate the expenses being derived
out of the Murage duties, and it acquired its name from the fact that the tide once flowed up to this spot . The principal postern gates were Kail yard, New gate ( formerly called Wolf gate ) and Ship gate in 1937 a new Newgate was built alongside the original gate with a 40 foot span . The old gate was taken down and the wall continued there |
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The walls were formerly defended by various
towers; the New Tower sometimes called the Water Tower, projecting from the walls towards the Dee and twenty -
four feet in height was built in 1322, at the expense of the citizens ; large iron rings were attached to this
tower, to which vessels were fastened which came up to this point before the harbour became choked with sand :
a thoroughfare tower, leading to the Water Tower, was anciently called Bonewadesthorne Tower . The Phoenix Tower , from which Charles I witnessed the defeat of his army, commanded by Sir Marmaduke Langdale, at Rowton Moore ( 24th September 1645 ), by the Parliamentary forces under Sir William Brereton and Col. Poyntz, takes its name from the crest of the Painters and Stainers, who, with other companies, held their meetings in this tower : it was formerly called Newton Tower ; there were besides these, Goblins tower now known by the name of Pemberton's, and the Saddler's Tower, which stood near the Cathedral, but was taken down in 1780 |
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