Chester - Posh and Medieval
There are places steeped in history and the moment you land there, you are in another world. The streets built along ancient track-ways, have a magical charm when you walk them. There is a respect for the ancient. This is Chester.
Chester is the best-preserved walled city in England and one of the richest in medieval architecture. The town centre has a distinctive old-world charm, with galleried streets filled with timber-framed buildings of white plaster and blackened beams. No other town in Britain conjures up a more vivid atmosphere of old England.
Chester began with the Romans, about 75 AD. They built here a fort called Deva Vetrix, next to the River Dee. A civilian settlement grew up outside the fort which was also a busy little port. Roman remains can still be found in and around the city. The old Roman fort was besieged by Alfred the Great in the 9th century, to recapture it from the Vikings.
Medieval Chester thrived, importing many luxuries like wine, and exporting leather. The port declined in the 15th century as the River Dee silted up. However, Chester remained an important market town.
During the 18th century, Chester became a major stagecoach stopping place. In the late 18th century the Medieval town gates were demolished as they restricted traffic. They were replaced by ornamental ones. Chester remained a genteel place and it was very popular with well-to-do tourists during the Industrial Revolution.
Today the main industries in Chester are still tourism, luxury retail and antique trade. Much of the architecture of central Chester looks medieval and some of it is, for example, some of the pub buildings below. Most of the black-and-white buildings are Victorian, a result of the "black-and-white revival".
Eastgate Clock
Said to be the most photographed clock in England after Big Ben.
Chester Rows (The Rows)
The Rows, found in each of the four main streets of Chester, are unique. Their origin is unknown and still subject to speculation. The Rows go back as far as the 13th century.
Chester Rows are one of the city's main tourist attractions. They are elevated, covered walkways at the first floor. At the street level is another set of shops and other premises, many of which are entered by going down a few steps, which sometimes lead to a crypt-like vault - undercroft.
About 20 stone undercrofts still exist, some of them vaulted, dating from the 13th or early 14th century. One of the finest is Cowper House at No. 12 Bridge Street, with an undercroft of six bays built in sandstone rubble. On the other side of Bridge Street, at No. 15, is another undercroft, this one having two double-chamfered arches.
Three Old Arches on Bridge Street are medieval. The frontage of this shop is in stone and is probably the earliest identified shopfront in England. The building also retains its undercroft. At the first floor level are the three round-headed arches. Above these is the inscription The Old Arches and the date 1274 AD. Opposite are modern examples of the Rows, mixed with medieval architecture, again.
Pubs are of interests for tourists and locals and there is a wide variety in Chester.
One of them is the Dublin Packet pub near Forum Shopping Centre, Northgate Street. It used to be run by Dixie Dean, the most famous Everton footballer. He scored record-breaking 60 League goals in a single season. When retired from football he took the Dublin Packet as a landlord. He was very popular and helped the pub thrive for 16 years. He died just minutes after the final whistle of a derby match, 1 March 1980 at age 73 after suffering a heart attack at Everton's home ground, Goodison Park whilst watching a match against Liverpool.
Some other pubs on our way.
If you want and prefer a moving picture, just take a look around Chester Christmas Market 2021:
Sources:
http://www.localhistories.org/chester.html
Chester is the best-preserved walled city in England and one of the richest in medieval architecture. The town centre has a distinctive old-world charm, with galleried streets filled with timber-framed buildings of white plaster and blackened beams. No other town in Britain conjures up a more vivid atmosphere of old England.
Chester began with the Romans, about 75 AD. They built here a fort called Deva Vetrix, next to the River Dee. A civilian settlement grew up outside the fort which was also a busy little port. Roman remains can still be found in and around the city. The old Roman fort was besieged by Alfred the Great in the 9th century, to recapture it from the Vikings.
Medieval Chester thrived, importing many luxuries like wine, and exporting leather. The port declined in the 15th century as the River Dee silted up. However, Chester remained an important market town.
During the 18th century, Chester became a major stagecoach stopping place. In the late 18th century the Medieval town gates were demolished as they restricted traffic. They were replaced by ornamental ones. Chester remained a genteel place and it was very popular with well-to-do tourists during the Industrial Revolution.
Today the main industries in Chester are still tourism, luxury retail and antique trade. Much of the architecture of central Chester looks medieval and some of it is, for example, some of the pub buildings below. Most of the black-and-white buildings are Victorian, a result of the "black-and-white revival".
Eastgate Clock
Said to be the most photographed clock in England after Big Ben.
Chester Rows (The Rows)
The Rows, found in each of the four main streets of Chester, are unique. Their origin is unknown and still subject to speculation. The Rows go back as far as the 13th century.
Chester Rows are one of the city's main tourist attractions. They are elevated, covered walkways at the first floor. At the street level is another set of shops and other premises, many of which are entered by going down a few steps, which sometimes lead to a crypt-like vault - undercroft.
About 20 stone undercrofts still exist, some of them vaulted, dating from the 13th or early 14th century. One of the finest is Cowper House at No. 12 Bridge Street, with an undercroft of six bays built in sandstone rubble. On the other side of Bridge Street, at No. 15, is another undercroft, this one having two double-chamfered arches.
Three Old Arches on Bridge Street are medieval. The frontage of this shop is in stone and is probably the earliest identified shopfront in England. The building also retains its undercroft. At the first floor level are the three round-headed arches. Above these is the inscription The Old Arches and the date 1274 AD. Opposite are modern examples of the Rows, mixed with medieval architecture, again.
Pubs are of interests for tourists and locals and there is a wide variety in Chester.
One of them is the Dublin Packet pub near Forum Shopping Centre, Northgate Street. It used to be run by Dixie Dean, the most famous Everton footballer. He scored record-breaking 60 League goals in a single season. When retired from football he took the Dublin Packet as a landlord. He was very popular and helped the pub thrive for 16 years. He died just minutes after the final whistle of a derby match, 1 March 1980 at age 73 after suffering a heart attack at Everton's home ground, Goodison Park whilst watching a match against Liverpool.
If you want and prefer a moving picture, just take a look around Chester Christmas Market 2021:
Sources:
http://www.localhistories.org/chester.html