BEYOND THE WALLS

MAY 2010 f ree

In collaboration with:

BEYOND THE WALLS2

Page 3: An introduction to Chester and a brief history insight...

Page 4: The focal point of the magazine - The Walls..

Pages 6 & 7: A map of the city centre so you know where you are. it’s also got the most important sites on there too..

Pages 8 & 9: Best ‘o’ Chester - places we think you should see.

Pages 10 & 11: Our ‘Pit-stop pubs’ is a small pub crawl if you like. It will take you all around the city.

Page 12: Pub photo gallery

Page 13: Away from the Walls

Page 14 & 15: Summer Calendar sothat you know what’s going on and

when!

N.B Some images have been taken from Google Images.

The idea of this publication is that we believe history does not have to be boring. Especially in this vibrant City of Chester. There are so many examples from different periods of history that there is some-thing to please everyone. However a lot of the current literature is aimed at the, let’s say, ‘older generations’. For this reason, we’ve decided to make it a little bit more interesting. Although we have got the important arty-farty history stuff and good places around the City to visit to en-able you to learn about different his-torical periods, we have also included some motivation to encourage you on your trek around the town. You’ll find this on pages... in the shape of our ’10 pit-stopping pubs’ list. With alcohol spurring you to find out more, through the wall walk, the historical places you must see, and the pubs themselves having a large amount of history buried within them, we hope that you will learn more about the history of Deva, while enjoying the City at the same time.

MAY 2010

WELCOME!From editor: Lara Stockham

CONTENTS

INTRODUCING CHESTER Originally founded as the City of Deva by the Romans in 75 AD, Chester has a long running history. Sometimes known as the Walled City, it has had Roman residents, Saxon, Georgian and Victorian, all of whom have left a mark one way or another. The Walls, which surround the inner city, were originally built by the Romans in 86AD in a bid to keep the Welsh out. Although they al-lowed Welsh traders into the City by day, they imposed a rule that if they had not left the City by 9PM then they would be executed. Clergymen who worshipped at the site which is now Chester Cathedral - but was previously a church and an Abbey before that - took pity on these tradesmen and rang a faint bell at 8.45PM every night to warn the Welsh it was time to leave. If you listen care-fully, this bell can still be heard ringing at the same time every night as a matter of tradition. Before Chester Cathedral became, well, the Cathedral, the site was an Abbey for Benedictine Monks. These religious followers brought life and vibrancy to the town, and encouraged a marketplace and education within the City. Evidence of the Abbey and how the Monks worked can still be seen in the Cathedral today. This became the Cathedral as it is now in 1542, although it was restored by Giles Gilbert Scott in the 19th century. Much of the architecture

3BEYOND THE WALLS

around the town, for example the black and white timbered buildings in the shopping area of Eastgate Street has been created since the specific time periods but made to imitate the Tudor period so that the City has some degree of conti-nuity about it. These ‘magpie’ effect buildings, as they are known by the locals, are also an indication of the Victorian need to be seen as wealthy and emit a elements of prosperity within the town. Some buildings, for example ‘The Venue – The Crypt’ in the middle of Eastgate Street, have elements of dif-ferent historical periods. The basement of this building is Ro-man, while The Venue site and the Crypt was built in 1250 in the Middle Ages, and the building itself dates back to the Victorian era as a Gothic building in 1858. Development within the City is still taking place, although there have been moves over recent times to save the historic City’s herit-age. This includes the recent excavation and restoration of the amphitheatre. In its Roman days, it would have held 7,000 audience members, coming to spectate on gladiator sports and wild animals making a feast of convicted prisoners and men-tally disabled individuals. Hav-ing only been found in 1949, the amphitheatre site is still being developed by Chester Heritage Society however a good indication of what the site

would have been like can be seen just the other side of the city walls, indicated on the helpful map on page... Due to the fact that there is so much his-tory relating to Chester, there are walking tours held every day from the tour-ist information centre. For more information, visit their website at www.visitchester.com because there is way too much cool stuff for us to get through!

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THE WALLS

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Chester wallls have years of histtory behind them. Having been built in 79AD by the Romans to keep the Welsh out, there have been numerous demolisions and expansions over the years. In the picture to the right is a stretch of the original Roman walls, withstanding from their original build.

The two mile stretch of walls surrounds the inner city structures, which are now shops and bars and so on, but were originally the strongholds of the 20th Roman Legion. With informa-tion points at each of the significant landmarks along the walk, it is evident that there is a lot of history at each marker., hence why the walls are classed as a Grade 1 listed building, and as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Many sections of the walls have damage caused to them by previous conflicts such as the Parliamentarians siege with engines and cannons in the 17th century English Civil War. Rennovations are currently taking place in between the Roman Gardens and the Eastgate Clock stretch, so there is a slight diversion...however it is an interesting and educational walk to take, whist being able to pop in and out of shops along the way with shop entrances directly from the walls.

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The red trail shown in the above picture of the inncer City of Chester is the Roman walls. This, as you can see is surrounded by num-bered pointers. These are elaborated on in the facing page and include the pubs we reckon you should try - see page s 10 and 11 for more

details - along with other Chester venues which we think are in the order that we think is the most interesting and enjoyable, so it does not necessarily follow a geographi-cal order.

WHERE AM I?

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- also known for its music scene, yet a little further out of town. just off the walls from Canal basin.

1. Ye Olde King’s Head - 17th century pub - see page 10 for further details.

2. The River Dee - pedalo along the river or go on a tour with the organised boat trips down there. Or grab a bite to eat at The Boat-house. Always plenty going on here through the summer.

3. Amphitheatre - although this is still very much under development, with Chester Heritage trying to restore it to it’s glorious state, it is still worth a peek to envisage the 7,000 or so spectators that would visit for its entertainment some 2,000 years ago.

4. Roman museum - this is a good place to visit to find out more about its Roman period. After all, with the City acting as a stronghold for 6,000 legionaires, it is a significant part of the his-tory of Chester.

11. Bear and Billet - just down the road from Ye Old King’s Head and near Bridgegate on the walls. A haunted and atmospheric environment. See page 11 for more.

12. Grosvenor Hotel - just across from Eastgate Clock in the centre of the City. Known for its wealth and luxuriousness, it is in the perfect location to pop in and admire.

13. Frog and Nightingale - just along from Frodsham Street, which is down from Eastgate Clock. Lively music atmosphere, as explained on page 11.

14. Albion Inn - another of the pit-stop pubs. See page 11 for a more in-dept introduction.

15. Grosvenor shopping centre - with shops ranging from H & M to Dorothy Perkins and Brown’s.

5. Watergates Bar - on Wa-tergate Street. Previously a crypt and rumoured to be haunted. Turn to page 10 to find out more..

6. Bar Lounge - right down the end of Watergate Street. Also more details on page 11.

7. Racecourse - a very busy place over the summer months, with numerous Chester race dates on its calendar. Check page 14 and 15 for more information.

8. Pied Bull - oldest serviing pub in Chester. No surprised it’s rumoured to be haunted then? Page 11 for more.

9. Alexander’s jazz bar - renowned for its live music and courtyard seating area, this relaxed venue is perfect for the warm summers eve. See page 10.

10. Telford’s Warehouse

things to see cont..

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From Roman museums to Benedictine Abbeys-turned-Cathedrals and Victorian-style shop builds, this city has it all. The ideal place to find out more on the City’s Roman era is the Deva museum on Peirpoint Lane where there are informa-tion boards as well as the opportunity to dress up in a Roman style legionaire uni-form and play some typical roman games. With Chester, or Deva as it was known then, ac-comodating around 6,000 legionaire’s of the 20th Roman Legion, the soldiers needed entertainment. The amphitheatre, seen at number three on the map on page six, is currently under restoration by Chester Heritage Society however it is still worth a look. The size of the half that has almost been completed is big on its own, let alone joint with the other half that has not been restored yet. The site helps to picture where the audi-ence used to sit, and also

shows the prayer room which gladi-ators used to visit before engaging in their battles. Although films usually depict gladiators as fighting to the death, this was not always the case as they were often seen as en-tertainment in the form of superheros, with some returning to the Chester am-phitheatre on numer-ous occassions. it is remarkable standing in the amphitheatre and thinking of the 2,000 years of history that has occurred at the site before now. Just over the road from the ancient theatre, the grosvenor museum presents the timespan of the history of the walled city. With exhibitions rang-

Oth-er, less historic

attractions of Chester in-clude the River Dee, men-

BEST ‘o’ CHES TER

ing from the Romans, to natural history and art as well as important collections of silver.

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tioned at number two

of the previous map. During the summer months this becomes a very animated area, with rowers up and down the river, and the op-

portunity to hire a pedalo or even take a guided tour as to the history of the river beds and buildings around the river. And

when the sun comes

out, there may even be the chance of a band entertain-ing its audience from the band stand at the river front. if the weather is not quite

BEST ‘o’ CHES TERgood enough for the river, there is always the Cathe-dral tours to keep you en-tertained which run all year

and explain the history of the Benedictine Monks and the part they played within the city as well as how the Cathedral came to be how it is today, and the impact that Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries had on the City. However if you decide you are bored of the history lessons already, there is always the vast array of shops to keep you busy, with the Grosvenor shopping cen-tre and the Forum shop-ping centre both hosting a range of different shops, for all your re-

tail needs. For more information on

these or any other Chester places of interest go to: www.visitchester.com.

PIT-STOP PUBSWhat better way to follow history than supping on a nice cold beer. Well this is why we have devised a list of 10 pubs that will take you across the main Chester city centre, mainly focusing around the walls and history. Many have a lot of back-ground information needing to be explored, however

As one of the oldest pubs in Chester, this establishment has both character and history. The building as it is today was built in 1622 - although it has had some restoration - but is actually laid upon foundations dating back to 1208. The traditional Inn serves good pub food along with cask ales

Another place for those hoping to use their more supernatural powers should head to Watergates on Watergate Street. Having been turned into a bar following a previ-ous use as a crypt and a butchers, there has been talk over the years that a sailor who died there still

A little further out of town, just outside of the Walls is Telfords Warehouse. Much more appropri-ate for those who like live music, the pub come restaurant has an idyllic spot right next to the canal

Back towards the town centre, and for those who like the live music scene, Rufus Court – off of North-gate Street – hosts Alexander’s Jazz Club. This is great for the hot British summer days, as you can enjoy a chilled bevy in the courtyard

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some are there to illustrate the type of city that Ches-ter has become. It embraces its arts and leisure, as well as its history and previous nature. For this reason, it is important to highlight pubs from all different walks of life, be it historical or musi-cal. Whatever the meaning behind their inclusion, they

are all worthy of a visit, if not purely just as a break for those tired feet after the Wall Walk. Although not entirely listed in order of geographical location, if you are not sure where any of them are...just check out the map on page... . Simples.

and fine wines. It is definitely worth a quick drink here to see the beam structure of the interior, as well as the medieval sandstone fireplace. You may even catch a glimpse of the rumoured resident ghost...

Ye O

lde

King

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haunts their place. Most Haunted have been regular visitors to try and meet the ghoul. However if he’s not feeling very sociable, there are plenty of other things to keep you busy here. With drinks offers on every night, and a roof terrace open during the summer days, there is

character and atmosphere here, just waiting to be explored.

so perfect for cooling down in the summer sun. Renowned for its live music allowance at the weekends, many residents head down there for a small-scale gig to see the latest potential newcomers to the music

scene. With a large array of drinks, and an ever increasing food menu, Telfords provides a nice summer pit-stop just a stone’s throw away from the walls.

while listening to the best up and coming jazz stars (as well as some of the older ones too). Jazz not your thing? No worries. It also pairs up as a comedy club on selected nights throughout the summer, and if you think you could have a dabble

at entertaining others with your music abilities, their Open Mic nights sound the perfect choice for you. Check out their website at www.alexanderslive.com.

Wat

erga

tes

Telfo

rd’s

Alex

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Another public house renowned by the locals for its amateur – and professional – musicians alike is situated to the West of the city centre, just outside the remaining

Not all the pubs are away from the walls. In fact this one is very much next to them. On the inner city side opposite the Roman Gardens area, the Albion Inn is set in what looks like it should be a sister soap to the Rovers and Coronation Street. Amongst the terraced housing,

Travelling further along the walls still, in the main ‘shopping strip’ and hub of the city if you like, is the Grosvenor Hotel. Owned by the Duke of Westminster, this large flamboyant building is set in Eastgate Street, right next to the clock, and attracts a celebrity following whenever they come to

Back along Northgate Street, near Alexander’s, you will find the traditional coaching Inn, the Pied Bull hidden in the arches. With the pub’s existence dating back to somewhere around the 12th century, and an original handmade staircase still in the pub dating

Back down Lower Bridge Street, just down the road from Ye Old King’s Head, this pub follows with the magpie style appearance as a fine example of a half timbered black and white pub. The building has served as an Inn since the 18th

This bar/pub is down the bottom of our list, not because it is not a nice establishment, but because it is a relatively new pub and does not have much history to comment on (or any ghosts for that matter). Bar Lounge, down the very end of Watergates, highlights the contemporary Chester and ‘the now’. With a separate dining area as well as an outside terraced enclosure, this is a good place to

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Roman stretch of the Walls. Also right next to the canal, it plays host to a lot of summer custom amongst both locals and visitors. With a large range of events lined up

every week, it is hardly surprising that this place busies up pretty quickly so it’s probably best to grab a pew early to avoid disappoint-ment.

this is perhaps one of the least picturesque public houses on our stop off list, however that shouldn’t deter you in the least. Inside, the atmosphere is orientated around the Great War, and has the decor to match. Dating from the late 1880s, the pub really saw its

hay-day during the first world war when the young troops used to spend their shillings on the fine beer on offer. With a quintessential food menu, and a historic atmosphere like no other, this should not be judged on its external appearances, and is worth a look.

town. Recently rumoured to have stayed there was Whitney Houston, and before that Beyonce as part of their UK tours. Coco Chanel has caused speculation within the locals, with the previous Duke of Westminster allegedly partaking in secret rendezvous in the lavish hotel, suggesting there could even

be an unofficial ‘Coco Chanel Suite’. However, we do not all have that kind of cash, so to get an insight as to why the celebs chose the Grosvenor, pop in for a drink either in the bar or in the cafe restaurant, and if you are feeling lucky, you could always take an autograph book. Just in case...

back to 1533, this traditional pub holds a lot of history within its walls including another ghost – of a man in the cellar, and accommoda-tion rooms eight and nine both said to be haunted. Being the oldest licensed house in Chester still serv-ing beer you may find it interesting

to see whether it has made many contemporary adaptations, and whether any original features are still surviving...

century, following its build in 1664. See if you are greeted by any of the resident ghosts – namely a friendly old lady who likes to greet her visi-tors – while enjoying one of the real ales or the traditional meals that the pub has to offer. The Bear and

Billet also has a full sports license so you can combine contemporary occurrences with the historical atmosphere of your surroundings.

go on any occasion. Serving a wide range of drinks – with a huge range of spirits – the bar epitomises what Chester is about now. It has enough hustle and bustle with all the areas continuously busy, but a chilled out relaxing atmosphere at the same time, it is hard not to fall in love with this place. Especially after having a tipple on a fair few of their spirits...

Frog & Nightingale

Albion InnG

rosvenor Hotel and S

paThe Pied Bull

The Pied Bull

BarLounge

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AWAY FROM THE WALLS...

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Just in case you are thinking of taking some time out from Chester City centre, we have included a few tip top places to visit a bit further afield. With Liverpool only a 20 minute train journey away, and Manchester about 50, there are plenty of other attractions set in the more cosmopolitan environ-ments...

Kinsey Road Ellesmere Port

CH65 9JJ.

Visit www.chesterzoo.org

Prices currently frozen

OUTSKIRTS OF CHESTER

Just outside of the main city of is the renowned Chester Zoo. This is perfect for keeping the kids, or adults, entertained with a range of different animals on show including

monkeys, tigers and if you’re not too scared of the dark try walking through the bat enclosure! With activities running all year, this is a great place to admire the other side of beauty, allbeit animals and not the history of our environment.

Chester ZooCaughall Road

ChesterCH2 1LH.

CHESHIRE OAKS

For those who like the Grosvenor Shopping Centre and the other shopping delights that Chester have to wonder, Cheshire Oaks is right up your street. As a designer outlet area, it has a lot of nice clothes shops, selling their stock for a reduced price. There is also the offer of a free personal shopper if you need a hand with ‘what to buy’.

LIVERPOOL

For the more music loving historians out there, the Beatles museum, in the Albert Dock, details the story of the band from when they were first formed.

Britannia PavilionAlbert Dock

LiverpoolL3 4AD.

Also worth a visit in the 2008 ‘Eu-ropean City of Culture’ is the World Museum with ancient artefacts and information collections from the Egyptians to Anglo-Saxons.

William Brown StreetLiverpoolL3 8EN.

SUMMER CALENDAR

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CHESTER RACECOURSE

MayWednesday, 5th Totesport Cup DayThursday, 6th Boodles Ladies DayFriday, 7th Boodles City Day

JuneSaturday, 22nd Roman DayFriday, 25th Ladies EveningSaturday, 26th Midsummer Meeting

JulyFriday, 9th Ladies and Gents EveningSaturday, 10th Totesport Day

AugustSunday, 1st Family FundaySaturday, 22nd Totesport Summer Festival

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May8 -9 The Thundersprint28-31 Chester Folk Festival

June29-5 Screen DevaThroughout June Chestival15-19 World Town Crier Tournament19-20 Midsummer Watch Parade2-4 International Showjumping

September10-26 Fashion Festival18-19 Kite Festival

AROUND CHESTER...