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Chester is located in the county of Cheshire, which some of you may know from the TV show ‘The Housewives of Cheshire’. But it is so much more than its shallow, fighting housewives dripping in jewels and expensive handbags. Chester is steeped in Roman and Medieval history and is one of the most picturesque cities in England. It’s also cheap to visit because most of its sights and attractions are free. The highlight is its impressive city walls which are free to walk around and offer great views of the city.
Chester has an interesting Roman past which is similar to the city of Lincoln which I recently visited. During the reign of the Emperor Vespasian in 79 AD, it was founded as a “castrum” or Roman fort called Deva Victrix, and was one of the main army camps in Roman Britain. Later it became a major civilian settlement. Following the Romans, there were the Saxon’s who further strengthened the defensive walls to defend themselves against the Normans and consequently, they were one of the last cities to fall to the Normans.
We drove to Chester and despite being a hot, dry summer, it decided to absolutely bucket down. Chester is located near the Welsh borders which sees more than its fair share of rain. After stopping for some lunch, it finally started to clear up as we parked at Little Roodee Car Park (Grosvenor Rd, Chester CH1 1SL). Despite its name, the car park is actually quite large and charges a reasonable all day rate of £5.
Keen to see as much as we could before it started to rain again, we headed off to explore. We walked from the car park along the path that runs aside the River Dee. It didn’t take long to reach Old Dee Bridge and Bridge Gate which once guarded the entrance to Chester. The stone bridge, which dates back to 1387, replaced the original wooden bridge which was swept away in a flood. This is a great spot for a photo and where we first entered Chester City Walls.
Chester City Walls
(FREE)
The Romans originally began building the city walls, but it took a further 100 years following their departure from England to complete it. This is one of the best preserved city walls in Britain and walking around it is like stepping back in time. It also provides a really good viewing platform in which to enjoy Chester’s historic sights. The walls are about 2 miles long, so it doesn’t take very long to walk around. But we took the afternoon to get around, as we kept getting on and off to visit each sight.
Some of the highlights along the wall include Bonewaldesthorne’s Tower, attached to the Water Tower at the northwest corner, Pemberton’s Parlour and Morgan’s Mount on the north section of the walls, Phoenix Tower, Thimbleby’s Tower and Barnaby’s Tower on the east section of the walls, and the base of a drum tower on the south section. It also crosses roads on the four major medieval gates to the city, Northgate, Eastgate, Bridgegate, Watergate, Newgate and St Martin’s Gate.
I enjoyed reading the story at Newgate, which was known as Peppergate. In 1573 a young woman eloped through the gate with a man that her father disapproved off. In anger, the father persuaded the city to lock the gate at night. This lead to the local proverb “when the daughter is stolen, shut the Peppergate” which is equivalent to “shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted”.
Chester Roman Gardens
Pepper St, Chester CH1 1DQ (FREE)
Once we got up onto the wall at Bridge Gate, our first sight was the Roman Gardens. The garden was created in 1949 to display the Roman ruins that have been found in Chester. Being up on the wall gave us a really great view of it, but to further explore, we got off the wall at Newgate which popped us out at the garden entrance. As we entered there was a beautiful Roman inspired mosaic. In the gardens we found the fragments from the fortress baths displayed which were originally found over near Bridge Street.
Chester Roman Amphitheatre
Little St John St, Chester CH1 1RE (FREE)
Beside the Roman Gardens we found the Roman Amphitheatre which seated up to 7000 people. The original, smaller amphitheatre was built here in AD80, but it was later made much larger. In fact, this is the largest Roman Amphitheatre in Britain.
Parish Church of Saint John the Baptist Chester
Vicar’s Ln, Chester CH1 1SN (FREE)
Beside the Roman Amphitheatre is the Parish Church of Saint John the Baptist Chester. It was not particularly extravagant inside, but it does have an interesting history and I enjoyed wandering around the ruins outside. The church was originally built as a cathedral during the Middle Ages. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries (between 1536 and 1541 Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England and Wales and Ireland), much of the east end of the church was demolished, but its ruins remain and are free for visitors to explore. However, it was at this time that the rain decided to start again and so we ended up taking shelter back in the church.
Grosvenor Park
Grosvenor Park Road, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 1QQ (FREE)
We had planned on taking a stroll through Grosvenor Park after our visit to the church, as it’s just behind it. However, it had started to rain again so we ended up skipping the park and heading on to shelter in some nearby shops until it stopped raining. However, it did look nice from afar!
Eastgate & Eastgate Clock
41-45 Eastgate St, Chester CH1 1LE (FREE)
After getting back on the wall again at Newgate, we continued on to Eastgate which was the original entrance to the Roman fortress of Deva Victrix. However, the sandstone gate that stands here today was was built in 1768. Either side of the gate is the most stunning views of Chester’s Historic city centre. It really felt like we had stepped back in time.
Atop the Eastgate is the famous Eastgate Clock. The clock is the second most photographed in England after Big Ben. It was placed here in 1899 to celebrate the diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria two years earlier. The Eastgate and clock were the star attractions on our walk around the wall and definitely shouldn’t be missed.
Chester Rows
Bridge St, Watergate St, Eastgate Street Chester Cheshire CH1 1NG (FREE)
Just past the Eastgate Clock is some stairs, so we headed down to explore the city centre and get a better look at the Chester Rows. The Chester rows are two storey shops that were built in medieval times over top of the Roman ruins. They are unique in that they include an elevated covered boardwalk, which was perfect for us since it was still raining. They are still used as shops today and it was strange going into a modern shop like Zara in such an old building.
They are really attractive buildings and so I found myself caught up taking lots of photos. There is an interesting information sign that tells of the Bakers’ Row which was once lined with bakeries. It was a time when unscrupulous bakers would sell underweight loaves and badly baked bread, sometimes they even added cheap materials like sawdust to their bread! To make them more accountable they had to stamp their bread and those that were caught cheating their customers were prosecuted.
Chester Cathedral
12 Abbey Square, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 2HU (FREE)
In order to escape the rain, we headed into Chester Cathedral. It is free to visit (donations welcome), but you do need to get a free ticket at the counter. The original church was built in the Romanesque or Norman style and you can still see parts of it. However, the church that stands here today was built from around 1250 in the Gothic style. It took over 275 years to build! As you enter the cathedral, look for the tiny staircase hidden in the wall to the right which leads up to a peaceful chapel. There is an onsite Refectory Café, which looked delicious, especially the cakes, but even if you are not hungry it’s still worth visiting just to see the huge stained glass.
Chester Castle and Agricola Tower
Grosvenor St, Chester CH1 2DN (Small fee of £2 to walk to the top of the Tower)
Parts of Chester Castle was built and rebuilt over the years during the many battles and changes of power. The building that stands here today are of a variety of architectural styles. They are now used to house the Crown Courts and the Cheshire Military Museum. The Agricola Tower remains from the original castle and is administered by English Heritage. We climbed the stairs to the roof for only £2 and enjoyed the beautiful views of Chester.
Other Sights and Attractions to Visit in and Around Chester
Chester Zoo
Moston Rd, Upton-by-Chester, Chester CH2 1EU
Chester Zoo is a great place for a family to visit. They have over 21000 animals and 500 different species.
Falconry Experiences
12 Abbey Square, Chester CH1 2HU
Chester Cathedral’s Falconry and Nature Gardens links the ancient art of falconry with the cathedral’s historic roots and nature conservation. You can see it behind the cathedral as you walk around the walls.
Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet
Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England
Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet is the UK’s largest Designer Outlet. It’s huge, with a quarter-million square feet of retail space, comprising more than 145 boutiques, restaurants and cafes. Highlights range from athletic labels, like Nike and Adidas, and high-street favourites, like Marks & Spencer and Next, to a selection of fashion brands, including Burberry, Polo, Michael Kors and Hugo Boss.
Boat trip on the River Dee
You can take a half-hour or two-hour sightseeing cruise along Chester’s beautiful River Dee with Chester Boat tours.
Town crier at midday high cross (centre of city streets)
During the summer, a town crier welcomes visitors to the city of Chester. They are there at 12 Noon, Tuesday to Saturday, May to August. Check the Town Criers website for more details.
Chirk Castle
Chirk LL14 5AF
We stayed in the Cheshire area for the weekend and enjoyed visiting some of the local National Trust properties. First up was Chirk Castle and gardens which is actually located in North Wales. The castle dates back to the late 13th century and was built to guard the Dee and Ceiriog valleys. The castle is surrounded by fields and a beautiful garden. We spent the morning exploring both before finally heading in to visit the castle. The National Trust hosts some great events and whilst we were visiting they were holding a medieval fair.
Erddig Hall
Erddig, Marchwiel, Wrexham LL13 0YT
After visiting Chirk castle, we drove on to the nearby National Trust Erddig Hall. As we entered we were welcomed by Lofty and Tambo, the two adorable donkeys that live thre and two huge draft horses (we later found four more grazing in the fields behind the house). There was even a jazz band playing in the courtyard. First we headed in to explore the grand house, then the wonderful gardens. In the late afternoon we enjoyed a walk around the estate.
Little Moreton Hall
Congleton Rd, Congleton CW12 4SD
Little Moreton Hall is the most wobbly, wonky building I’ve ever seen. Built on drained swamp land, the land that the Tudor Manor House is built on has moved alot. There is not a flat surface to be found in this house! It made me feel like I was drunk walking around the sloping floors. Whilst we were there they were hosting a sixteenth ‘scent-ury’. The Tudors loved using herbs and oils for everyday health and wellbeing. We joined in on the free activity to create our own potpourri using the herbs and oils that they provided.
There is a small garden to wander around and an onsite cafe. They also host guided tours.
Biddulph Grange Garden
Grange Rd, Biddulph ST8 7SD. Opens 10am
Biddulph Grange Garden is one of the most fascinating gardens I’ve ever visited. It was magical and made us feel like we were explorers, discovering something new at every turn. Unfortunately you can’t visit the grand house as it is still privately owned, but the gardens are the star of the show anyway. Some of my favourite features were the Egyptian and Chinese gardens. The dahlia walk was also beautiful as they were in full bloom. There is plenty to enjoy here and we ended up spending our afternoon exploring and having a light meal at the onsite cafe.
Practical Tips for Visiting Chester
- How long should I visit Chester for? We spent most of a day exploring Chester. However, as I’ve outlined above we stayed for a weekend so we could also explore the surrounding countryside.
- Language: English
- Currency: British pound
- Tipping: Not required, but people usually round up.
- Electricity: The electrical current is 230 volts AC. Wall outlets take a three pronged plug only used in the United Kingdom and Ireland. However, you are better off purchasing a worldwide adaptor that can be used in the United Kingdom as well other countries. At least then you can potentially get some further use out of it on future vacations. If you’re taking a number of electronics with you, then I would recommend purchasing a couple of these adaptors.
- Driving: In the UK they drive on the left hand side of the road with speed signs in miles per hour (mph).
- Fuel: Fuel is expensive in the UK, so save money by downloading a UK fuel app so you can search for the nearest petrol station with the cheapest fuel.
- Navigating: We used Google’s free Offline Maps. Google Offline Maps allows you to access free maps for navigating that can be used offline i.e. you don’t need WIFI, data, or roaming to be able to use them. Follow my detailed guide on how to use Googles Offline Maps.
- Using your phone as a GPS will drain your battery quickly, so use a portable battery charger which you can use to charge your phone and any other USB chargeable devices.
- If you prefer a paper map, then purchase a road map before you go. At least it’s reliable and won’t run out of battery or malfunction like the electronic options!
Accommodation Options in Chester
Search available accommodation in Chester
I’ve listed some highly rated hotels in Chester city below, but we stayed in the nearby village of Rossett at Rossett Hall Hotel. The hotel is located in a peaceful country village which had some lovely walks around it and nice pubs. It was in easy driving distance to Chirk Castle and Erddig Hall which we visited the following day.
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