Morgan's Mount

The route around Chester and this Grade I listed monument lasts at least one and a half hours and is suited for most levels of walkers, except perhaps the very old or very young. (The entire wall circuit is around two miles long). But because there is much to see and do, it may take people slightly longer to complete the whole of the outlined feature. It starts in the Roodee car park, which is Chester’s local race course and indeed one of the oldest in all of Britain. But, because Chester is quite a busy place, it’s unwise to park anywhere other than a designated parking area. So after finding a space you are ready to start our sojourn in earnest, but first let's set the scene .....

First please empty your mind and free it from all disruptive thoughts. Now, start to imagine the dates and numbers slowly reversing: 2008, 2007, 2006 further, back still further, 1979. No we won’t stop there. Quicker, faster, we need to slip backwards, gently backwards and further again. As we prepare to launch forth with our tale, skirts become longer, life becomes shorter and more precarious and death most dire and horrid all too common. I think we’ll tarry awhile at this page. Let the story and our walk commence: .......... Gunfire and smoke fills the air, and cannons thunder and crash fiercely against the thick red sandstone walls, as they crumble and fracture under their powerful and mighty onslaught. Hurried footsteps and hushed tones can be heard up a narrow and winding staircase. Water laps gently at the landing platform below as a swarthy boatman surreptitiously rows away from a vast round tower. He bites on the golden crown he has received for his services. Yes, it’s real all right. God save the King!

Bonewaldesthorne's Tower

An entourage of lackeys and army leaders hurry their sovereign along carefully hand chiselled paving to the Phoenix Tower. The party should find safe sanctuary there. Wailing, screams and groans can be heard from the streets as another house catches fire. The party must hurry as they dodge yet another round of shots and a bullet, one silver bullet just missed its target: the king, King Charles I of England. With Cromwell overrunning Cheshire these few days past, how long can Chester withstand this blockade and siege from these bloodthirsty blaggards?

Up the steps and into the tower. Now to look at Rowton Moor. "My soldiers, my soldiers are falling back," says the king. No, they must prevail and preserve this outpost for their true sovereign and God’s anointed heir. "Stand and fight. Stand and fight. Stand and fight for your king, for your country." - "Sire, sire there are horses in yonder field. Sire we cannot delay. To the hills. to Denbigh we must make haste ..........." Does this sound more like a scene from a Hollywood blockbuster or a swashbuckling piece of fiction? Well it’s actually a fairly accurate account, all with a smidgen of fictionalised license, of King Charles I movements during the early autumn of 1645, when Britain was immersed in all-out Civil War. With the Parliamentarians all but having breached Chester's inner walls (near Eastgate), Charles' future was anything but secure or certain. On his arrival, his troops were down 1200 men; and reinforcements that had attacked a Roundhead garrison, led by Colonel-General Sydenham Poyntz, had abysmally failed to cut them down to size. New Model Army musketeers hid in hedgerows near the village of Rowton, and ruthlessly ambushed the Cavaliers and loosened their previous stranglehold over Chester once and for all. Chroniclers of the time state King Charles watched on tenter hooks, from the city walls as his hopes for a resounding military success were dashed and brought to nought. He watched as the dying embers of his campaign were effectively snuffed out, as his forces fled the victorious Roundheads on the evening of 24 September 1645. Factfile-Battle of Rowton Moor Early on at Rowton, both sides were uneager to start fighting until their ranks had swollen sufficiently to ensure anything other than outright victory. Determined to win at any cost, a Colonel Michael Jones (Parliamentarian) despatched around 500 cavalry and infantry to shore up the garrison of his compatriot Colonel-General Poyntz. Meanwhile, Royalists attempted to counter this move by sending in a troop of around 1000 under one of their key commanders, Lieutenant-General Charles Gerard. But the hapless Gerard was intercepted by the quick-thinking Roundhead Colonel Lothian who thwarted his attempts to attack his battalion from the rear. These decisive tactics proved pivotal in securing an emphatic victory for Cromwell. (Incidentally, he was said to have been a regular visitor to Woodhey Hall during his campaigns against the Cavaliers in Nantwich and Cheshire. A recently converted barn on the estate is now fittingly called Cromwell's Manor and gives guests a taste of 17th century life with its four poster beds and period-style fixtures and fittings). At Rowton, the Royalists could only fall back as they met with powerful volleys of gunfire on all sides, while horsemen charged the centreground and forced them to scatter to Wales, Chester and beyond. King Charles meanwhile, who had taken refuge in the wall's Phoenix Tower, decided his safety could no longer be guaranteed, and with 500 horsemen he rode out to the Welsh fortress town of Denbigh. It would be four months until Chester surrendered completely to Cromwell and another year almost before Charles was forced to fully admit defeat and submit to Parliament's will. This fatefully ended with his execution on 30 January 1649 - a brutal act of regicide which shocked the world and saw Cromwell become Lord Protector of Britain some year's later, until 1658. After the war, the walls never quite recovered from their pounding and many of the erstwhile medieval details were lost. In the times of Queen Anne (beginning of the 18th century) it was considered fashionable to take a tour of them, and perhaps this was the first time that they became a tourist attraction along with the city of Chester in their own right Perhaps knowing about the exciting and turbulent past of Chester and the tumultuous events that were played out here makes this walk all the more exciting and interesting. Despite long periods of peace and tranquility, its very foundations were built because of an invasion by Rome. Roman Chester

Roman Garden

The Romans initially flirted with conquering Britain in AD43 when Emperor Claudius took south-east England and brought a succession of Britain's tribes under his empire's control. However, after Boudicca's uprising in 60AD because of Roman atrocities, she sought in concert with other clans to drive every last invader from Britain's native shores.

A tall, ferocious redhead, Plutarch, an ancient Greek writer, said of her at the time she was a truly terrifying sight. But she was not able to hold back the might of the Roman army, and they succeeded in routing her and her beloved Iceni. Then began their gradual encroachment upon the rest of the British Isles. They made headway into what is now Chester in around AD75 and set it up as a garrison town. It was styled as a military outpost to control the Ordivices and Cornovii in Wales and Shropshire - and the Brigantes, under fearsome Queen Cardimandua to the north. Historians believe Chester was chosen because of its strategic strengths and high vantage point on the River Dee. Its close proximity to the sea, at that time, also allowed the naval faring legion, Adiutrix, to support other land-based legions up and down the British Isles. They were easily deployed by sea to quell any rebellions in Wales or further north; and were also used by Emperor Hadrian in his attempts to subdue the Picts in Scotland, and in the building of his legendary wall. Chester was also closely positioned to mineral resources and mining areas in Wales, particularly lead. This again made it an ideal location for Roman occupation. The area was also an excellent launchpad for a planned attack against the Irish. But with little headway made against the Scots, this military objective was eventually shelved. In any event, Chester became one of Roman Britain's most important west coast ports, not only as a military depot, but also as a centre of trade. Local tribespeople came from miles around to barter with the well-paid legionnaires. Suburban districts (canabae) grew outside the main 56 acres that comprised the interior of the initial wooden fortress. Many Romans, slaves and free people gathered here as the area developed into a citadel of some note. Roman Chester and its walls, or Deva as it was then called, were first constructed of primitive wood, and wattle and daubed structures. It was only later (about 15 years in AD 90) when the Twentieth Legion or Valeria Victrix were transferred here from Scotland's borders, that a serious programme of building in stone began. Expansion as a Saxon burgh

This section of the walls has early Roman foundations.

However, the walls only ever ran in two directions, a complete circuit did not come into effect until it was reincarnated as a Saxon burgh - under the auspices of the daughter of King Alfred the Great, Aethelflaeda (in the 10th century, 907 to be precise). Her reasons were to see off attacks by the marauding Vikings that had recently settled on the western fringes of Cheshire. Hiberno-Norsemen under Hingamund, had ambitions to set up a settlement along the shores of the Dee, and had managed to take Chester as their own for a short while in 894. The city had been neglected by the Saxons, which had been wrested away from the Welsh, and would have provided the Scandinavian raiders with strategic trading routes with their fellow countrymen in Ireland and York.

But King Alfred, sovereign of the Midlands at the time, did not take their incursion in to his territory too lightly. And he starved them out by burning and removing all cattle and corn in the neighbouring locale. They left when death and hunger seemed to be the only possible spoils of war; and Chester soon afterwards became a leading light in the pantheon of Saxon citadels. The relics of revered English aesthetic, Saint Werbergh were also removed from Stafford and reinterred within a new minster at Chester. (This is one of the major attractions that can be seen later on this walk). Scrolling back in time to the Roman era once more: towards the end of the 1st century, the Adiutrix garrison was called to fight near the Rhine and then the Danube. With the arrival of the Valeria Victrix, grander buildings of stone including a fortress, the city walls and an amphitheatre were commissioned (the remains of the amphitheatre can also be seen in the later sections of this walk). Red sandstone was the material of choice, with an abundance of this rock being available locally. (In Britain's damp, temperate climate, wooden structures tended to rot and decompose within a relatively short space of time). Unfortunately, not a great deal of the Roman era has been preserved because it was built over or modified by successive invaders and rulers. Underwater at the start

The Old Dee Bridge

Anyone attempting this walk from what is now the Roodee car park, in Emperor Claudius' time, would have been submerged in water, or perhaps been able to paddle the nearer they got to the present Watergate. An open estuary would have spanned out in the Irish Sea beyond Hilbre Island and the Point of Ayr.

However in the late Middle Ages, this area had all but silted up; and in the reign of the Tudors, the Roodee was built on the residual alluvium deposits and partially reclaimed land. It is said to be the oldest surviving city race course still in use today. Factfile - The Roodee Race Course Perhaps one of the best aspects of Chester's city walls it that they offer a fantastic free view of the 65 acre Roodee and its various racing events. Dating back to the early 16th century, the course is said to contain a buried statue of the Virgin Mary at its centre. Known as the Rood Eye or Island of the Cross, it was corrupted over time to become the Roodee. Apparently, local legend has it that the unfortunate Lady Trawst, wife of the Governor of Hawarden (a north Wales town not far from Chester) was praying for rain in church. Her wishes were granted, but the ferocious thunderstorm that ensued loosened a statue of the Virgin Mary and killed her in an instant. The statue was then left to float down the River Dee until it found its way to Chester, where it was subsequently buried in the said mound. Before racing ever began at this site, football matches took place on Shrove Tuesday or the Middle English alternative: Goteddsday. However, because of the violent nature of this particular brand of soccer, it was soon banned, and replaced by horse racing from the year 1539 onwards. Today the racing season typically runs here from April to September with the Cheshire Oaks and Cheshire Cup being among the most popular and well supported. Please see the Race Meetings section of our website for more details of these and other events. The course of the River Dee has changed considerably over the last two millennia. And as people walk past the Roodee and the Water Tower Gardens, they will see an amazingly sturdy tower, known as the Water Tower no less; and in medieval times, the Dee had altered its trajectory so it lapped at its base. As you trek up the steepening road to your right, the walls come fully in to view, and people should clamber up the a short series of steps to join the walls proper. And it's fair to say this was the probably route King Charles would have used to reach the Phoenix Tower and see his army's final collapse. Tower structures such as these were said to have sprung up during medieval times, and were typically used by the city's guilds (associations of merchants, artisans and crafts people). People should perhaps turn right again to stop and marvel at the Bonewaldesthorne's Tower, which lies parallel to the Water Tower, which has and adjoining walkway that's open at certain times of the year. Initially a watch tower on the early medieval walls, water also used to lap against its base too, but in 1322 the adjacent Water Tower was built as the sea retreated and silt levels rose.

Shropshire Union Canal

From this stretch of walk, people can gain an interesting glimpse of the Shropshire Union Canal, which in its prime was a major waterway for carrying goods the length and depth of Britain (particularly during the Industrial Revolution). Today, there are colourful barges, which are perhaps people's second homes or indeed primary residences, held fast to its moorings. Modern buildings and ring-roads cut through the many historical remnants and relics from the past. But every age is represented here from the Roman, medieval, Georgian, right up to the 21st century.

Apart from Pemberton's Parlour and the recently included St Martin's Gate in 1966, which lets a ring road pass through the city's northern wall, one of the most intriguing sections can be found a little further on. Past the recently revamped Rufus Court which houses some eateries, including Alexander's Jazz Bar, are some clear remains of the very earliest wall foundations (from Roman times). To view it properly though, people need to make a detour on to a tow path that borders the nearby canal (climb down stairs near St Martin's Gate). From the high point of the North Wall, if people do not want to venture this far, they can at least know that the very earliest sections of the wall (over 1800 years old) are resting beneath them. Turning rightwards, people will next take in the aforementioned Phoenix Tower and the Deanery Field, which was once home to Roman barracks, and is now all but bare grassland. When repairs of these ramparts were undertaken in the late 19th century, workmen discovered a large number of Roman tombstones embedded within the walls themselves. Cemeteries were typically located outside a city, but it was felt by archaeologists that these stones were used to fortify the walls in a time of great need. Many examples of these finds can still be seen at the nearby Grosvenor Museum. Perhaps the true value of a stroll around this circuit is that you're never very far away a wealth of intriguing landmarks or buildings, that have a rich and vibrant history - most of which can be viewed for free.

Chester Cathedral

On the day this walk was taken, tourists with digital cameras and video cameras wandered in awe as they came to perhaps some of the best known landmarks in all of the city of Chester, its cathedral. Originally begun as a Saxon minster during the reign of Aethelflaeda, with the Norman invasion, the erstwhile cathedral became a major centre of worship and was rebuilt from the inside out.

Harrying of the North The forces of William Conqueror did not manage to disengage themselves from battles throughout the rest of England until 1070, when Chester was among the last of the areas to come under their control. Records show that there was considerable resistance from Viking and Saxon locals in the northern areas of England, which resulted in the so-called harrying of the north. Saxons in Chester, in association with the Welsh and Eadric the Wild! set about invading Shrewsbury, while William I was fighting in York. However, he crossed the Pennines burnt at least 40 per cent of Chester's houses (totalling around 500 at the time) and set up a wooden fortress immediately to keep the locals subdued. They duly complied. King Harold a hermit at Chester! Interestingly, legends from the time abounded that Harold Godwinsson, Britain's supposedly defeated king at the Battle of Hastings, was said to have become a hermit in the city. Legend has it that he was not fatally wounded with an arrow to his eye, but survived, was revived in Winchester, convalesced overseas, and then took up a hermitage attached to the Cestrian Church of St James. He was said to have lived a holy and isolated life along the marshlands bordering the River Dee. (His ghost is said to haunt the area near the remains of the Roman amphitheatre). No-one can prove whether these stories are true. But, it was said the deposed king revealed his secret identity in old age. Whether Harold did really live in the environs of Chester or not mattered little to the Normans. And William the Conqueror's nephew, Hugh Lupus or Hugh of Avranches was awarded the first Earldom of Chester. He wasted no time in stamping his own mark on the area and a major part of this was creating a huge centre of worship, in what is now Chester Cathedral. Anselm of Bec was invited to set up a monastery that followed Benedictine rules and rites (in 1092). Religious leaders were ejected from the erstwhile Minster of St Werbergh, and outbuildings, farm land, hospitals and schools were set up to help the local people. This abbey thrived and was a mainstay of the local community providing alms for the poor and much needed education about the gospels and religion. Perhaps one of the most lasting legacies that the monks bequeathed Chester was its series of Mystery Plays. These short playlets based on biblical stories were performed by the monks within the cathedral grounds to educate a largely illiterate population about the Bible. Most religious services were held entirely in Latin, and were rarely understood by the majority of Chester parishioners. But these performances in English or the time about say Noah or the Crucifixion helped many become more aware of these spiritual tales. It wasn't until the Reformation 1541, brought about by Henry VIII break from the Church of Rome, that the abbey then became a cathedral, and the Mystery Plays were banned. Most religious houses and buildings were raised to the ground the length and breadth of Britain; but Chester was fortunate to be favoured, and the last abbot became the first Bishop of Chester at the re-styled cathedral dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Factfile - Chester Cathedral today When on the circuit of the walls, people should turn right past the modern bell tower in to the well attended modern-day cathedral gardens. It's worth noting that the 1975 tower was developed because the church's existing bells were placing too much strain on its interior structure. People could perhaps rest a while in the gardens or perhaps make their way to the cathedral's refectory for a refreshing snack or beverage, which is the very same used by the original monks. While supping on soup or a mug of tea and fresh pastry, people can perhaps imagine a kindly monk reciting a passage from the Bible in Latin, as one would have when all the brothers convened for a meal. Because the cathedral was spared the decimation that was typical of the Reformation, people today can gain a delightful insight to what life might have been like as a medieval monastic. The courtyard and remains of many of the monks' cells can still be seen as you take a tour of this impressive religious edifice. A significant number of the Norman earls are buried in the cathedral itself, and perhaps none was more fearsome or ruthless than the first earl Hugh Lupus himself. After many an excursion in to North Wales, he took Gruffudd ap Cynan (in 1081), a Welsh prince and had him laid in irons in Chester's market place for a supposed 12 years, as his ill-gotten and brutally held captive. But no lord or king, until Edward I, was able to make any significant inroads into Welsh territory; and he used Chester as a launch pad for a gargantuan programme of castle building from Flintshire to Gwynedd. He also acquired the title the Earl of Chester, which passed to the Crown after the last of the medieval lords died without (male) issue. The Mystery Plays of yesteryear were actually revived in 1951 for the Festival of Britain and have been re-enacted every 5 years ever since. Cast and crew are drawn from all over the world, not just the immediate locale, and people can again obtain a fascinating insight in to how life was lived in medieval England.

Eastgate Clock

The next intriguing landmark en route is the Eastgate Clock, which is reputed to be the second most photographed clock in all of the UK. Built to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, it has faithfully kept time in Chester for well over a hundred years. This bridge was once a gate that was the main entrance into Chester from its very first establishment as a Roman fortress. From the late 18th century onwards, all of Chester's gates were replaced by bridges to ease the flow of traffic. On this particular bridge, which straddles Eastgate Street, the main thoroughfare through Chester, people can also see The Rows, a two-tiered medieval-style mall of shops, restaurants and so forth.

Chester's Rows We might like to think of shopping malls as being something of a recent invention. There may have been shopping mews in Georgian and Victorian England, but nothing was ever built on the scale that can be seen today in Chester. Supposedly, when Edward I made embarked on his ambitious castle building programme in North Wales (in 1277), all of the builders and craftsmen for these tasks were said to have made Chester their base. It's perhaps no coincidence that the Rows also developed at this time and can be found on the major routes in to Chester which converge at the locally renowned Cross. The wars were supposedly sparked by the refusal of Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffudd to pay homage to Edward, or supply continual funds for the privilege of being recognised as prince. However, Chester during medieval times was a major centre of trade for the surrounding areas and particularly with Wales and Ireland. Stalls were common sights, and there were twice weekly markets, and a month long mid-summer fair each year. However more permanent establishments in the form of shops soon appeared, and the Rows grew out of these developments, largely because of a demand for space. Initially, it seems, cellars were built on the lower tier, and shops appeared here, and the owners lived in upper galleries above them. However, gradually, as more merchants wanted to trade permanently in the city, the upper levels were converted into retail outlets too. It's also worth noting that some of the current labyrinth of shops are said to be Victorian replicas of what went before. All of Chester's four main streets meet at a monumental stone cross (The Cross). The tradition of town crier is still maintained at this location, and a husband and wife time regularly read out local proclamations. A busking musician or two, or three can often be found here and the area has been pedestrianised to accommodate the city's regular influx of visitors. So where to next? Well the next section of the walk breaks away from the walls: past Newgate and on to the riverside. While traversing along this particular section, people can gain an excellent aerial view of the Roman amphitheatre and Roman Garden - but more about them later. Climbing down the steps, people should cross the old Dee Bridge which gives magnificent views of the River Dee itself, and walk along the right hand side of the bank.

River Dee and the Groves

From this angle, people can take in the bustling Groves and the river's busier sections, where cruises can be taken downstream or rowing boats hired for a time. Once over the iron Queen's Park Bridge, people can then decide whether to dawdle awhile, perhaps listen to a band play in the Edwardian bandstand or take tea at a local cafe.

After walking up some steps to Grosvenor park, people will pass the ruins of St John's Church, which was badly damaged in the Civil War. The Roundheads were said to have stored ammunition here. Visitors can then walk across a gang-plank that traverses the remains of the Roman amphitheatre. During the end of the 1st century a theatre was built to seat around 8000 spectators, and was the scene of many Roman festivals and gladiatorial style combat. It was remodelled during the third century, but was largely laid waste during the Civil War and two grand manors were built on it during the 18th century. One was pulled down to reveal what we see today, while another Dee House still stands over the southern part of the theatre. The visible part has recently been the focus of an extensive archaeological project, and finds can be found in the local Visitors' Centre across the road, or be viewed online at www.chester.gov.uk/ampitheatre. Today, there is a ceremonial changing of the Roman Guard outside the Visitors' Centre, especially during the summer months. And as another echo of times past, a series of Roman-style festivals are also celebrated at various times at this site. Further remains of Roman rule can also be found a few hundred yards away in the Roman Garden. Here there are quite well defined relics of a hypocaust or heating system. Columns and other stonework are also thoughtfully arranged in this miniature park. Walking under Newgate, people can then wend their way up to the main shopping area and perhaps either engage in some serious retail therapy, or sample some tempting fayre from the ever-expanding range of local restaurants and cafes. (The Roodee car park is but a short walk away from the town centre, when people wish to travel back to Woodhey. People should walk down Watergate Street to the actual Watergate, and the Roodee car park can be found beyond that). View the comprehensive slideshow now