North West Chester

Romans, medieval walls, black and white architecture and a cathedral.

Chester may not be an automatic choice when it comes to picking a holiday destination, but it is a city with a long history and a lot to attract the tourist, whether it is for the day or longer. It has the only complete set of city walls, the oldest racecourse, largest Roman amphitheatre in Britain, plus a 1000 year old cathedral (#4 ), 700 year old unique shopping rows and a town crier.

Then there is the zoo which is ranked one of the best in the country. There are boat trips (#2) on the River Dee as well as an open top bus.

Chester’s position made it a strategic outpost of the Roman Empire. This was the base of the 20th Legion who built a walled fortress on a headland overlooking the River Dee. Not only was it the largest fortress in Britain, it was also one of the most important military bases in the Empire.

Little is left of Roman Deva now although you can learn about their history in a hands on way at the Deva Roman Discovery Centre. Part of the amphitheatre has been excavated and can be seen just outside the walls.

The present walls (#3 ) follow the course of the Roman walls and the regular street plan inside the walls is based on that of the Roman fortress with the four main streets meeting at the central cross.

Chester is the only city in Britain to retain a complete circuit of walls. They may not be as dramatic as parts of the walls at York, but you can walk all round the two mile circuit. They can be accessed at many different points and it makes a pleasant walk with views of many of the tourist attractions.

Chester was the last English city to fall to the Normans. To bring the area firmly under Norman control, William I appointed his nephew, Hugh d’Avranches, as Earl of Chester. He built Chester Castle and transformed the Saxon Church in the heart of the city into a large and well endowed Benedictine Monastery. At the Dissolution of the Monasteries, this became the Cathedral (#4 ). Little is left of the original Norman building which was gradually replaced by a more splendid Gothic. The medieval choir stalls with their misericords and carved pew ends are one of the glories of the cathedral.

If you are wanting to see Norman architecture, head to the Church of St John the Baptist (#10), just outside the walls. This was the original cathedral. Don’t be put off by the rather uninspiring Victorian exterior, the inside is pure Norman and one of the best Norman churches in Cheshire.

The Castle at the south west corner of the walls which had to be extended to include it. The curtain walls on top of a motte guard the inner bailey with the keep like Agricola Tower guarding entry to it.

Chester became an important city in Medieval times with The Rows being built on the foundations of the Roman fortress. They are completely unique and nothing else like them is found anywhere else in the world. There is a row of shops at street level with steps leading up to a first floor level covered walkway (the Row) with more shops off it. Some of the ground floor shops have stone undercrofts below them. The floors above the Row were used for domestic, commercial or storage. Many of the shops with their black and white frontages, are listed buildings. Tree ring analysis indicates that some of the buildings date back to the C13th.

Chester is a very good shopping centre and still retains a lot of small specialist shops as well as the chains.

St Peter's Church (#12) at the Cross in the centre of Chester has a very good cafe run by enthusiastic volunteers. It is the cheapest place for coffee and a homemade cake in Chester.

Chester was a Royalist stronghold during the Civil War and Charles I is reputed to have watched the defeat of his army at the Battle of Rowton Heath. The citizens eventually surrendered when they faced starvation and large numbers died of plague the following year. Much of the centre of Chester had to be rebuilt after the Civil War and many of the timber frame houses date from then.

In the early C19th Chester became a very affluent city with the wealthy moving here to avoid the industrial sprawl of Manchester and Liverpool. They lived in the elegant Georgian terraces. Stone Georgian and Victorian buildings began to infill between the timber frame.

Chester escaped the worst effects of the Industrialisation. The Chester Canal was built in the late C18th in the (unsuccessful) expectation it would bring heavy industry to Chester.

The railway arrived on the route to Holyhead and the Irish ferry.

The Grosvenor Museum (remowned for its galleries on Roman Chester) and the Town Hall are splendid examples Victorian architecture as well as making a statement of power.

Eastgate with its clock is probably one of the most photographed views in Chester. The Eastgate is the site of one of the Roman gateways into Deva, although the present gateway is mid C18th. The clock was added to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The ironwork was made in nearby Coalbrookdale. There was controversy when the clock was formally unveiled in 1899 on the Queen’s 80th birthday. It was felt the red and gold finish and the elaborate iron frame were too garish, and unsuitable to the surroundings. Now it is one of the iconic images of Chester.

The River Dee was once an important port. The river changed its course and suffered from silting. As ships grew larger the port moved further downstream. It was finally overshadowed by the development of Liverpool.

The Old Dee Bridge is the oldest in the city and still used by traffic today. It dates from the C14th although was widened in the early C19th.

There is now an attractive walkway along the river with plenty of seats, ice cream stalls, cafe, boat trips and even a miniature railways. On a sunny afternoon, there is a real holiday atmosphere and you can close your eyes and almost see Edwardian ladies in large hats wandering along arm in arm with their beaux.

Chester is definitely worth a visit.

 

[Eleanor]

A boat trip on the River Dee

The River Dee forms a big loop to the south of the city centre. A fleet of boats run regular cruises along the river during the summer months.

I did the 30 minute cruise aboard the Mark Twain, departing from the Groves, close to the city walls and the C14th Old Dee Bridge.

The Mark Twain had originally worked as a paddle boat on the River Thames and resembled a Mississippi steamboat. She has been based in Chester since 1987. The paddle has been replaced and she now has a covered upper deck. She is still a very stylish boat.

The cruise travels upstream, under the pedestrian suspension Bridge.

To the left, on the city side are large and very expensive C19th houses built for the rich and famous.

Many of these have gardens down to the river with small boat houses or moorings on the river.

Blocks of modern houses fill in any spaces.

Several rowing clubs based here, including the Royal Chester Rowing Club and King’s School Rowing Club, which are among the oldest in the country. Chester Regatta is the oldest in Britain, having been held here since 1733.

The land on the opposite bank is water meadows and is still prone to winter flooding. It is covered with water loving plants like purple loosestrife and meadow sweet. The River is wide and slow flowing, with patches of yellow water lilies. There are mallards and swans on the river, although the numbers of swans have decreased in recent years.

The River Dee is a ‘managed water system’ and flow is controlled by reservoirs, allowing water to be extracted without affecting the flow.

The boat turns round at the city limit for the return journey.

Returning to the mooring at The Grove, there is a good view of the Old Dee bridge. Weirs beyond this provided power for corn mills and prevent boats from travelling downstream.

There was an informative commentary during the trip. It was a very pleasant trip and not too long.

 

[Eleanor]

A walk around the walls

Chester is the only city in Britain to retain a complete circuit of walls. They may not be as dramatic as parts of the walls at York, but you can walk all round the two mile circuit. It doesn't matter where you start, or which way round.

They can be accessed at many different points and it doesn't matter where you start or which way round you walk. It is a pleasant walk with good views of views of many of the tourist attractions, including the Cathedral. On the north side, there are good views down onto the Chester Canal, which was part of the Shropshire Union Canal.

The views they offer across the racecourse are popular on race days when you can enjoy all the thrill of watching the races and hearing the commentary without paying.

The original walls date from the Roman city of Deva and part of these walls can be seen from the towpath along the Shropshire Union Canal. The remains of an angle tower can be seen by Newgate.

The walls were refortified in the early C10th as a defence against Viking raids. They were again repaired by the Normans and later again after the Civil War which left the walls and towers battered and breached. By the C18th the walls were no longer required as defences and became a fashionable promenade with a low parapet. Gateways through the walls were widened to allow for increased traffic with walkways over the top.

Possibly the most photographed is the Eastgate which stands on one of the main entrances into the Roman city. The elegant clock on its wrought iron stand was added in 1897 to celebrate the diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.

At the north east corner is the Phoenix or King Charles Tower.

In the C17th the tower was in poor condition and was leased to two of the city guilds who became responsible for its maintenance. They placed a plaque above the door with the date 1613 and a carving of a phoenix, the symbol of the Painters Guild. During the Siege of Chester during the Civil War, guns were placed in the tower. King Charles stood on the tower on 24th September 1645 as he watched his soldiers being defeated at the Battle of Rowton Heath. The Guilds repaired the tower after the Civil War but had given up possession by the end of the C18th when its upkeep became the responsibility of the city council. The council promoted it as a tourist attraction because of its connection with Charles I.

Morgans Mount is a defensive structure on the north side of the walls which was constructed as a lookout and gun emplacement during the Civil War.

The Water Tower at the north west corner of the walls is built on a short spur from the Bonewaldesthorne Tower. When it was built it stood on the River Dee and it was used to defend the port, collect tolls and and control movement of shipping on the river.

The castle is at the south west corner of walls and was built outside Roman city. The walls had to be extended south and west to include the the castle. A motte was built with a stone curtain wall. Entry to inner bailey was controlled by the keep like Agricola tower.

The river has changed its course since the walls were built and now flows further to the south. It is worth dropping down off the walls to walk along the side of river with views of the Old Dee bridge. There is a pleasant walkway along the river with trees, seats, ice cream stalls and a cafe. River cruises start from here and you can hire rowing boats or paddle boats.

This is a very easy walk and apart from steps over gateways, is wheelchair friendly. There is plenty to keep your interest during the walk

 

[Eleanor]

Chester Cathedral - Some history and visiting

This is one of the must sees on a visit to Chester. It is a splendid Gothic building but the best bit must be the marvellous carved medieval choir stalls with their misericords and poppy heads (carved bench ends and tops).

In the C7th the Mercian King, Wulfhere, is reputed to have founded a timber church here dedicated to St Peter and St Paul, but it was his daughter, Werburgh who really put Chester on the map. She renounced her royal status, becoming a nun at Ely Abbey. Many miracles were attributed to her during her lifetime, including restoring back to life a goose that had been stolen and eaten.

She was buried in Staffordshire and her tomb rapidly became a place of pilgrimage. Following the threat of Danish raids in the C9th her relics were brought to Chester as a place of safety and placed in the church of St Peter and St Paul. Queen Ethelfleda, the grand daughter of Alfred the Great, founded a monastery in Chester and rededicated the church to St Werburgh. The new monastery continued to enjoy royal patronage and flourished. A splendid shrine was built in her honour.

Chester was the last English city to fall to the Normans. To bring the area firmly under Norman control, William I appointed his nephew, Hugh d’Avranches, as Earl of Chester. He built Chester Castle and decided to transform the Saxon Church into a large and well endowed Benedictine Monastery in the heart of the city with a Norman church around the shrine of St Werburgh.

Building began at the east end which is where the monks held services and extended west. Work began on the domestic buildings including the cloisters. The Chapter House was finished in 1250 in the latest Gothic style with pointed arches and ribbed vaults. In 1270, a Lady Chapel was added beyond the chancel, again in the Gothic style. The monks then gradually began to replace the Norman church with its heavy round columns, round arches and small windows with the more modern Gothic style. The choir was remodelled in 1290 followed by the crossing in 1300. Work on the south transept was completed by 1350 and the south side of the nave by 1360. Work then stopped, probably because of labour shortages from successive waves of the plague. The south west corner was eventually finished in the early C15th in the late Gothic style.

Only the Baptistry in the base of the north west tower, the north transept and part of the cloisters are left of the original Norman church.

Building work was interrupted by the Dissolution of the Monastery in 1639. The two west towers were never completed. St Werburgh’s shrine was destroyed, although the church survived as Henry VIII decided to establish it as the new cathedral of Chester in 1641, having subdivided the massive diocese of Litchfield. The monastic complex was not destroyed and is one of the best preserved in the country.

The church was rapidly patched up with wooden vaults in the nave rather than the planned stone vaults. The south transept was used as the parish church and was separated from the rest of the building by wooden screens. It was not reintegrated into the cathedral until 1880.

The space beneath the south west tower was set up as the Consistory court in 1636. The court dealt with all the legal work of the diocese, including handling wills and probate, issues of matrimony as well as heresy, blasphemy and slander. This is the only surviving court in England. The judge, called the Chancellor, sat at the canopied seat at the head of the table, with a clerk on either side. The other officers of the court sat round the table. The Apparitor was responsible for the smooth running of the court and sat in the high seat in the corner, where he could see everything going on. (When I visited, there was a modern art exhibition in the cathedral featuring the work of celebrated modern sculptors. This explains the baboon sitting in the Chancellors seat and the cat asleep on the table.)

The Cathedral was damaged during the Civil War and the Commonwealth. All the stained glass was smashed and replaced with plain glass. The hands of the Greene monument in the nave were removed because they were joined in prayer, which was regarded as a popish gesture.

There was major restoration work in the C19th when the stained glass was replaced and the mosaics designed by John Clayton, were placed on the north wall. The cloisters were glazed and the outside of the building was refaced. Red Sandstone is soft and does weather badly.

The great west window dates from 1960 as the Victorian stained glass was blown out by a bomb in 1941. The external bell tower dates from 1975 and was the first free standing bell tower to be built for an English Cathedral since the C15th. The bells needed an overhaul and it was discovered that they were placing great stress on the central tower and it would be considered to be unsafe to rehang them. The new tower did cause controversy at the time and was nicknamed the ‘Chester rocket’.

The Cathedral is built from the local red sandstone and is a large building. It is almost impossible to photograph all of it. It has a rather squat central tower. The rather strange ‘chimney pot’ style turrets at the corners are C19th.

The nave and chancel are tall with large clerestory windows and battlemented roof with tall pinnacles. The south porch was the last part of the cathedral to be built and is Perpendicular.

The cathedral is open daily, although visitors are recommended to ring the cathedral before visiting to check there are no special services or events which may close part of the building. There is no entry charge, although visitors are asked to make a donation. There are free ground floor tours as well as tower tours (charge).

There is no parking in the immediate vicinity of the cathedral although there are several public car parks close by. The post code is CH1 2DY.

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Cont...

 

[Eleanor]

Chester Cathedral cont - the nave

The nave was the last area to be rebuilt and is a good example of Gothic architecture. Fluted pillars with a narrow band of carving and pointed arches form arcades with the plain glass clerestory windows above. Unlike many cathedrals there are no triforium passageways.

The nave is often used for exhibitions and the seating is removed giving an impression of empty space, much like the original building. The only place to sit was on the stone bench along the bottom of the walls which was provided for the old and infirm of the medieval church. (Hence the expression 'the weak shall go to the wall.')

The sandstone floor was replaced twenty years ago and underfloor heating was installed. The old cast iron stoves which were the only source of heat have been left in the nave as a reminder of

The roof is wood with gilded bosses. These were regilded twenty years ago and still glow golden. A temporary wooden roof was built before the church became a cathedral. It was replaced by a new wood roof during the C19th restoration work as it was felt the medieval walls might not support the weight of a new stone vaulting. The side aisles do have stone vaulted roofs.

There was a simple nave altar under the crossing, with the organ above it on the north wall.

A lovely C19th wood screen separates nave and choir. In the centre is Christ Crucified flanked by the Virgin and St John. This is the work of George Gilbert Scott and designed to harmonise with the C14th choir stalls.

A flight of stairs lead to the west door which is only used on ceremonial occasions or weddings. Above is the great west window dating from 1961 and replacing a Victorian window which was blown out during the Second World War. It glows with blues and purples. In the centre are the Holy family with Werburgh, Oswald, Aidan on the left and Chad, Wilfred and Ethelfleda on the right. Along the bottom are scenes from the lives of the saints, apart from the Virgin and Child where there is an image of Adam and Eve. At the top, the three red rings on a yellow background represent the Trinity.

At the back of the church is the Baptistry beneath the remains of the north west tower. This is one of the oldest parts of the church with round Norman arches. It was turned into a Baptistry as part of the C19th restoration.

The square font is Italian and was given to the church by Earl Egerton of Tatton Park. He believed it was from a C7th BC Etruscan well head. It is now thought to be a C19th reproduction. The two peacocks on the side of Chi-Rho symbol on the side of bowl are an early Christian symbol of new and eternal life given at baptism.

The Consistory Court is under the remains of the south west tower.

The mosaics on the north wall are C19th and are the work of John Clayton. They are made from different shades of marble and are one of the largest examples of Pre Raphaelite work in and English Cathedral. They represent the four great old testament prophets; Abraham, Moses, David and Elijah.

The south wall is covered with memorials to the great and good of Chester.

Cont...

 

[Eleanor]

Chester Cathedral cont - the transepts

Chester Cathedral is unusual as the transepts are different sizes. The cloisters meant the north transept could not be extended so it retains its original Norman form. It is part of the Norman Cathedral and still has the Norman arches with a small colonnade of recycled Roman columns on the wall above. The windows above are part of the Gothic additions in the C15th as is the pointed arch leading to the north choir aisle. The large tomb taking up most of the transept is that of John Pearson an influential churchman and Bishop of Chester.

In a small niche between the two arches is the delightful cobweb picture. The painting of the Virgin and Child was painted on the net of a caterpillar. It is C19th and was characteristic of work produced in the Tyrol. Only 64 examples are known to survive.

The south transept is much larger, having been extended many times to accommodate chantry chapels along the walls. After the Dissolution of the monasteries, the south transept became the parish church of St Oswald and was separated from the rest of the cathedral by a wooden screen. It was only reintegrated into the cathedral in the late C19th. An arcade of Gothic pillars and pointed arches from arcades on either side of the transept. Above the arches is a band of carving with large clerestory windows above. The massive south window represents the ‘Triumph of Faith’

On the west side is the splendid tomb of Hugh Lupus Grosvenor, First Duke of Westminster who was MP for Chester and a great benefactor of the cathedral.

On the east wall are four small chapels. That nearest the crossing is dedicated to St MAry Magdalene and the Ascension and is now used as the Children’s Chapel.

Next to it is the Chapel of St Oswald. The stained glass window was designed by Charles Kempe. The beautiful reredos with scenes of the life of St Oswald was carved in Oberammergau.

Next to this is the Chapel of St George with another Kempe window. The reredos of St George killing the dragon is the work of Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, son of Sir George Gilbert Scott.

The final Chapel of St Nicholas and St Leonard also has a reredos by Sir Giles. The stained glass window is by Clayton and Bell.

Cont...

 

[Eleanor]

Chester Cathedral cont - the quire and high altar

The C14th quire stalls are one of the glories of Chester Cathedral.

s well as the tall pointed canopies above each canon’s stall, each one has a beautifully carved misericord.

The pew ends (poppy heads) are equally impressive with a range of different subjects, many taken from The Bestiary.

The Bishop’s Throne is C19th but designed to complement the quire stalls.

The High Altar is set under a pointed arch and is in fact set back further than the Medieval altar. It dates from the C19th restoration. The stunning mosaic reredos is the work of Clayton and Bell and was made by sandwiching a layer of gold between two layers of glass. It features the Last Supper with Judas Iscariot being shown without a halo.

To the right is a four seater sedilia used by the clergy. This again has an ornately carved stone canopy above each seat.

The quire and chancel ceiling was decorated and gilded by Clayton and Bell in the C19th.

Cont...

 

[Eleanor]

Chester Cathedral cont - the quire ailses and their chapels

The quire aisles run along the outside of the quire. In the South aisle is an old chest tomb, still with the remains of paint.

At the end is the Chapel of St Erasmus, a patron saint of sailors.

On the east wall is a mosaic designed by J R Clayton in memory of Thomas Brassey who died in 1870 and his wife Maria Farringdon.

Brassey was a C19th industrialist who was responsible for building a third of the railway network in Britain as well as Chester Station. His bust is on the north wall of the chapel.

The Chapel of St Werburgh is at the end of the North Quire Aisle. This has a simple altar made from a C14th wooden screen. Above it is the Nativity window.

On the south wall is a large tomb of an unidentified bishop.

The cathedral bier is also here.

Behind the chancel is the Lady Chapel. This was added to the original Norman church in 1270 and was the first part of the Gothic building. It has a simple table altar beneath the east window. Above this are two icons.

It has a rib vaulted ceiling with red, green and gold painted ribs and painted bosses. The pillars of the sedilia have the same colour scheme.

The Lady Chapel also contains the shrine of St Werburgh, behind the High Altar.

This dates from around 1340 and is one of the few shrines to have survived the Reformation. Originally it would have been topped by pinnacles giving the appearance of a small chapel inside a larger church. It would have been painted and covered with jewels. The upper part of the shrine, where a modern statue now stands, would have contained a reliquary containing relics of St Werburgh. Pilgrims would kneel in the niches round the base

The shrine was dismantled after the Dissolution of the monasteries and parts of the stonework were used in the throne for the newly created bishop of Chester. The shrine was reconstructed from parts found during the C19th restorations.

Cont...

 

[Eleanor]

Chester Cathedral cont - the cloisters

These are to the north of the cathedral. The outer walls are the oldest part and have the typical round Norman arches.

The walls around the cloister gardens are later Gothic. The glazing with their stained glass images of saints was added in the early C20th.

The wooden cloister roof was replaced by stone in the early C16th. The side of the cloister was divided into ten equal spaces and new roofing supports added regardless of what was originally there.

Columns on the south wall and part of the west wall mark off the individual cells of the Scriptorium where the monks copied manuscripts. Their desks were placed sideways to the window to catch all the available light. There now display a collection of old tombstones and stone bosses.

In the centre of the cloisters was the garden which was used for growing herbs for medicinal and culinary purposes. The pond in the centre was originally the fish pond, fed by water pied in from the Abbot’s Well, two miles outside the city. It now has a modern sculpture of Jesus offering water to the woman of Samaria, from St John’s Gospel.

The day stairs to the dormitory lead off from a corner ofthe cloisters. These now give access to the new Song School. Near them is the Slype, a narrow passageway leading to the lay access to the monastery. Next to this is the vestibule leading into the Chapter House.

This dates from 1260 and is a good example of Gothic architecture with a stone vaulted ceiling. (The bier has now been moved to the north quire aisle)

The stained glass window is C19th and shows the history of the building from and Anglo-Saxon church to benedictine Monastery and finally Henry VIII establishing the See of Chester.

The Refectory is off the north wall of the cloister and is now the cafe. The abbot sat on a raised dais at the far end of the room with important guests on either side of him. No conversation was allowed and a monk read passages from the Bible or Lives of the Saints from the wall pulpit.

The east window is perpendicular and has images of the Saxon monarchs and saints with St Werburgh at the centre. Over the servery is an early C17th Mortlake tapestry which had hung above the High Altar until the C19th restorations.

 

[Eleanor]

Church of St John the Baptist

This is the oldest church in Chester and a wonderful example of Norman architecture. Don't be put off by its external appearance. The rather uninspiring Victorian facade overlooking the remains of the Roman amphitheatre conceals one of the best Norman churches in Cheshire.

On closer inspection it is a very interesting church with a long history. A church was founded here by Æthelred, king of Mercia in 689, on the site of an even earlier Christian church. It may well be one of the oldest churches in England still used for worship. It rapidly became an important Saxon Minster and was rebuilt by Æthelfled, grand daughter of Alfred the Great in the C10th.

In 1069, the Bishop of Lichfield raised the minster to the status of a cathedral and moved his see here. He pulled down the old Saxon Minster and began to build a new Cathedral. His successor wasn’t so keen and moved back to Coventry with St John the Baptist becoming a co-cathedral. Work on the building stopped and didn’t recommence until 1190. It was eventually completed by the late C113th. This explains the difference in architecture in the nave with Norman pillars and round arches with a Transitional triforium above and Gothic clerestory. The inside of the church is a wonderful example of Norman/Transitional architecture.

The cathedral was supposed to own a relic of the True Cross brought back on the Crusades and rapidly became an important place of Pilgrimage. Edward I required the Nobility of Gwynedd to swear on the relic that they would not rebel against the English crown.

The Central tower collapsed in the C15th but was not rebuilt.

After the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the church lost its cathedral status and reverted to being a parish church. Edward VI stripped the lead from the choir and chancel roof. The east end was disused and sealed off from the rest of the church by a stone wall. It is now a ruin.

By 1860, the exterior stonework was in very poor condition. The red sandstone weathers badly. The remaining north west tower collapsed in 188, destroying the north porch. The tower was replaced by a smaller belfry tower and the porch rebuilt using old stones.

The exterior stonework was restored at the expense of the First Duke of Westminster who is buried in the cathedral and funded much of the restoration in the city. The heavy galleries were removed from the interior of the church as well as the box pews and three decker pulpit.

The Church is open daily from 10-4 and has a small shop. There is no parking for the church although there are several public car parks close by. The post code is CH1 1SN

Website

Cont...

 

[Eleanor]

Church of St John the Baptist cont...

The north porch leads into a vestibule with heavy wooden doors leading into the church. The exterior may give the impression of a Victorian church, but the inside is a wonderful example of a Norman Transitional church. The massive round pillars with their carved band and round arches are pure Norman. Above is a transitional triforium. The clerestory above is early Gothic.

The stained glass in the great west window was installed in the late C19th and shows scenes from the history of the church.

On one of the pillars is a C13th wall painting of St John the Baptist. This was covered with whitewash during the Commonwealth and was only rediscovered when this was removed in the C19th.

Round topped arches of the crossing lead to the chancel.

The C19th reredos behind the high altar is C19th and shows the Last Supper.

The organ had been built for the Coronation of Queen Victoria in Westminster Abbey and was later rebuilt and brought to Chester by barge and installed in the church.

The small stone font is described as a Commonwealth font, although there is a suggestion that it may be older.

The Lady Chapel is at the end of the south aisle and is reached through part of the wood Jacobean screen which originally separated the Warburton chapel from the sanctuary.

Just inside the gates is a replica of the reliquary box which contained a piece of teh True Cross until the Reformation.

The Lady Chapel has a simple altar and reredos. Above is a small statue of the Virgin which has no face.

On the south wall is the late C17th tomb of Diana Warburton, made by a pupil of Sir Christopher Wren. It is unusual as it shows an unshrouded skeleton. This is now used as a credence table for Communion vessels.

There are hatchments on the walls of the church as well as a list of mayors who lived in the parish.

At the back of the north aisle is a display of Saxon and Viking stones dating from 900-1100 which were found around the church.

On the floor are examples of old medieval tombstones.

These include the grave slab of Agnes de Ridley, wife of a Sheriff of Chester.

and also of a blacksmith with the tools of his trade carved on it.

The church was quite dark inside and lit by neon lighs which gave a golden glow to the photogrpahs.

 

[Eleanor]

St Peter's Church

St Peter’s Church is in the centre of Chester and built on the foundations of the Roman Headquarters where the four main roads of Eastgate, Northgate, Watergate and Bridge street meet.

From the outside, the church is rather uninspiring brick box with a small square tower.

Queen Ehelfleda is said to have built a church here in the C9th. The present building dates from the C14th, although the tower was rebuilt in the C16th.

The church is reached up a short flight of steps. Inside it is a big box divided into four equal size aisles by stone columns. The pillar just inside the door has the remains of a wall painting depicting the Nativity and Crucifixion. The small niche would have contained a statue of the Virgin and Child.

Near this is the font.

There is a wooden gallery on two sides. These are Victorian replacing earlier galleries. There would originally have been a gallery at the west end for the church musicians, until they were replaced by the organ in the north gallery.

The altar has a carved wood reredos, installed in 1905.

At the back of the church, just inside the door is the quiet room.

There is little about the church on the web and probably little to attract the casual visitor. It does however have a very good cafe in the church which is open Tuesday - Saturday from 11- 3. This is non profit making and run by volunteers. The cakes are homemade and very good. A cup of coffee and a cake costs £3. It is worth visiting just for that.

There is no parking for the church although there are public car parks close by. The post code is CH1 2LA

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