A view of Chester - Part 1 of 2
In the Roman gardens
Part of the Chester Roman Amphitheatre - the largest amphitheatre to be found in Britain. The Chester Roman Amphitheatre, was built to serve the fort of Deva. It was used as a multi-purpose entertainment centre for the troops stationed here, and also as a training ground.
Installed in 1899, the Eastgate Clock is positioned on the bridge over Eastgate Street in the city of Chester, the original entrance to the Roman fortress of Deva Victrix. The whole structure of the public clock and gateway, as one, is classified as a Grade I listed building and the tower clock is believed to be the second most photographed clock in England to “Big Ben”, officially known as Elizabeth Tower, at the Palace of Westminster in London.
Proposed as a commemoration for the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria (1897), JB Joyce & Company was commissioned to manufacture and install the clock mechanism, with the clock design by Chester Architect John Douglas. The clock officially began ticking on the 24th of May, 1899.
The clock tower has four, 4ft 6 inch dials that were originally gas lit, but are now powered by electricity with battery back-up and a computer chip which keeps the clock to precise time.
The original Roman entrance gate and the Eastgate clock.
One of the Chester City Wall towers.
Number 33 Eastgate Street, Chester, at the corner of Eastgate Street and St Werburgh Street, Chester, England, was built in 1859–60 for the Chester Bank. and it continues in use as the NatWest Bank. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building. It is in Neoclassical style, but was built at the time that the Black-and-white Revival was underway in the city, and was therefore the subject of much criticism for being "out of place". At a quick glance, I can see what they meant.
Buildings in Eastgate street, Chester. Although Chester is known for its many original Tudor buildings, many others , like Eastgate Street, are very much Victorian fakes!
Hugh of Avranches (1071-1101: First Earl) in Northgate Street. Quite a history, has Hugh. He is one of three figures on buildings in `Shoemakers Row` - it`s not really clear where the name came from.
The Latin motto `Antiqui Colant Antiquum Dierum` or Let the ancients worship the ancient of days. The figure is Edward VII. He was created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester on 8 December 1841, Earl of Dublin on 10 September 1849 or 17 January 1850, a Knight of the Garteron 9 November 1858, and a Knight of the Thistle on 24 May 1867. Some folks get it all!
The Nine Houses, of which only six remain, are in Park Street, Chester.. The row of houses is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building. They face the eastern portion of Chester city walls.
The houses are the only surviving pre-19th-century almshouses in Chester. They were built in about 1650. By the 1960s the houses were in a dilapidated state and were in danger of collapse. There were campaigns to preserve them led by the Chester Civic Trust and the Chester Archaeological Society. A report was prepared by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, following which they were renovated and rebuilt by Chester City Council in 1968–69. The end wall had to be repaired in old brick, and the rear wall was completely rebuilt.
The row consists of six adjoined cottages in two storeys. Each cottage consists of a single bay. The lower storey is constructed in brick on a low sandstone plinth, with stone dressings around the entrance doorways that contain oak-boarded doors. The upper storey is timber-framed and jettied, and has a gable that is jettied further. In the lower storey of each cottage is a 12-pane horizontally-sliding sash window. Each upper storey contains a 16-pane vertically-sliding sash window.
PS Jettying is a building technique used in medieval timber-frame buildings in which an upper floor projects beyond the dimensions of the floor below - just in case you are unsure of my odd word!
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