When we stayed in Bristol, England, the apartment owner told us that if we were in the Liverpool area that we should visit the town of Chester, England. We really did not know what to expect other than that he said it was a very ancient town and he knew that we liked history. What a great surprise!
Above, the Chester rail station. Chester was begun as a Roman fortress during the Roman occupation of England to defend against the Welsh people. Wales is just 2 miles west of the town of Chester. For the small price of 1 Pound, a bus takes you from the rail station to the center of Chester.
Gardens of the Chester Cathedral.
A street scene of Chester. It is one of the few UK cities that still has timber built buildings. Most buildings have been replaced by stone and brick over the years. Below, the Chester Cathedral which was the center of religious life in western England.
Town center of Chester. Chester is a walled city that has all its walls still intact. It takes about 2 hours to walk around the old city walls. It is the first walled city we have found with all walls intact since we were in Dubrovnik, Croatia in 1997. Below, along the Dee River flowing through Chester.
We decide to take one of the 30 minute boat rides on the Dee River.
Georgian row houses along the Dee River. Below, more of the beautiful homes along the Dee River.
Note the nice boat houses on the river below these homes.
Many row boats on the river. Actually, rowing racing skulls on the Dee River predates the famous rowing clubs of Oxford by 100 years. Oxford merely modernized and made the racing skulls more efficient. Oxford also introduced single skull racing.
Above, look closely at the foundation of this lovely home. It is built upon the foundation of a Roman villa that dates from about 300CE.
Above, Elaine was quick enough to snap a picture of this Blue Crane on the Dee River.
Elaine’s favorite home on the river. This is still a single family residence!!!!
We reach the dam on the Dee River where the boat makes its turn to return to the dock. The dam was built by the Romans to assure a steady amount of water in this tidal river.
Interestingly painted car from our bus tour of Chester.
One of the city gates in the distance. This gate is actually a new one built in 1837 because the old Roman gate was not large enough to allow large carriages to enter the city. Below, some of the beautiful black and white timbered houses in Chester. The leaded glass windows just top it all off.
Nice view of Chester through an old city gate.
Remains of the Chester Castle. The site was a Roman fortress to defend against the Welsh and later enlarged by the Normans for the same purpose of defending against invasions by the Welsh. Actually, the Welsh people almost never invaded England. Unlike the Scots who fought back and forth battles with the English over the years, the Welsh were happy to simply be left along and live their peaceful lives.
Roodee Horse Racing Track in Chester. This is the site of the Grand Nationals Championships each year (equal to the Kentucky Derby in the US) and has been a famous horse racing track for longer than Churchill Downs.
Old cemetery in Chester. They actually discovered some Roman era graves when they built the road near the cemetery. The Romans were pagan in those days and afraid of the dead so the cemetery was located far outside the fortress walls.
Houses built with a “W” brick design for the Duke of Windsor. He liked this pattern because he could see the “W” in the brick work and commissioned several buildings to be built in the same style. It has been continued in areas of Chester to this day.
Above, the weir (Celtic word for dam) on the Dee River. Salmon can be seen jumping the weir during spawning season.
Below, the shops and restaurants with many small leaded glass windows. Leaded glass was a major industry in Chester in the days before we learned how dangerous lead was.
The Grosvenor Museum of Chester. This is a free museum sustained by the famous Grosvenor family (old English wealth similar to Rockefellers and Vanderbilt's in the US).
Above, the Georgian row houses. Always four stories: nursery on the top floor, family bedrooms on the third floor, living area on the ground floor and servant quarters in the basement.
Left, the Roodee Race Track and below a modern house known as the “Ark.”
Blue Coat Hospital and school supported by the Grosvenor family. A Blue Coat school or hospital was for the support of orphans. There is a boy in a blue coat above the entrance but a little hard to see.
Gates to enter the walls of the city.
Above, the “Pied Bull” Pub? Who knows what that means.
Above, the Chester, England city hall.
Left, the canal through Chester. The canal is a part of the great British Waterways System. There have been extensive canals built in Britain through the years when barge traffic was the main way of shipping goods. Below, some of the more modern housing built outside the old city walls.
Above, the cocoa area of Chester. Cocoa was promoted by the Quakers as a drink to enjoy rather than alcoholic beverages. Elaine found the Frye Candy Company and thought she might have found a legacy to the Fry name. But, then she found that the Frye Candy makers were Quakers and teetotalers and knew there could be no relation!!!!
Old grist mill converted to a hotel and spa.
Another view of the Chester canal system left and the Chester rail station below.
Chester Cocoa House and Chester canal below.
Left, gates into the city wall. Below, a crooked house that appears to be ready to fall down. The ground has shifted over 100s of years.
Above, the “Public Baths” in Chester built on the site of the old Roman Baths. It seems that the Roman always found warm underground springs no matter where they invaded. The same warm underground springs still operate the baths today. Below, views of the ancient Roman amphitheater built outside the old city walls.
Left, a tethering ring and chain in the amphitheater. Was it for a bull, a lion, a bear????
Above, the box seat for the highest local Roman official. Below, views of the entire amphitheater.
To the right of the modern city gate is the small Roman gate into the city.
Another view of the small Roman gate to the right of the modern city gate.
Above, Elaine stopping for her usual afternoon wine stop with the white timbered building in the background.
Above, the Victoria Restaurant established in 1269. This building has been a restaurant for over 750 years!
Surprise! Elaine found more flowers to photograph.
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