Bonewaldesthorne Tower by Arthur S

Bonewaldesthorne Tower

Grade I listed Bonewaldesthorne Tower is a part of the ancient city walls of Chester.

Documented since 1249-61 but rebuilt or altered 1322-6 after which it formed the gatehouse to the Water Tower. Bonewaldesthorne Tower is constructed of red sandstone coursed rubble.

There is a tall plinth, with 3 weathered caps to north and one to south, a blank storey now filled with rubble, a storey up seven stone steps from Row walk, and battlements on eroded string course.

There is an entrance with chamfered jambs and arch of two stones with an oak boarded door. The doorway on opposite side leads to the spur to the Water Tower.

The interior of Bonewaldesthorne Tower has a fireplace; a old stair to the battlements which is now closed and bow loops.

The masonry of the south-west quadrant of the tower suggests that the tower was originally a drum, but that in 1322 it was squared off, north, to the line of the spur wall to the Water Tower and rebuilt to a square plan with a canted south-west corner above wall-walk level. (Bartholomew City Guides: Harris B: Chester: Edinburgh: 1979-: 94-95; The Buildings of England: Pevsner N & Hubbard E: Cheshire: Harmondsworth: 1971-: 155; Cheshire Sites and Monuments Record: Collens J: Chester City: 3007/2/3).

Created: 16  December  2020  Edited: 29  November  2023

Bonewaldesthorne Tower

Brett Gregory is an award-winning filmmaker based in Bolton whose production company, Serious Feather, is currently making a documentary about autism and poetry.

As a part of this production, Landscape Britain was asked to advise with regards to the location of specific areas of outstanding natural beauty throughout the region.

Visit www.seriousfeather.com for further information.

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