Chester City Walls

The old city walls of Chester are packed with history and incorporate elements of the walls and towers of the ancient Roman fortress of Deva. The earliest defences were Flavian and date back to the late 1st Century, of which parts of the base of the earth rampart survive beneath the stone walls.

Roman masonry of purple-grey Bunter sandstone on the outer face of the north and east walls and the foundation of the south-east tower of the legionary fortress are probably date to the time of Hadrian in the early 2nd Century but were probably altered and repaired up to 4th Century and the end of Roman occupation.

The medieval walls of softer red sandstone, incorporate masonry of the north and east faces of the Roman walls, but are in part set back from the face and built upon the Roman turf rampart. The medieval walls of Chester were extended in the late 11th Century and early 12th Century by the Norman Earls of Chester, westward and southward to their present position, possibly on a line set out by Aethelfled in 907 when she had refortified the burh. The walls were later strengthened in 1160-61.

The medieval towers, Bonewaldesthorne’s Tower and the Water Tower, commanding the site of the medieval port date to around 1249 and 1322-6 respectively while Thimbleby’s Tower is remains undated.

Created: 16  December  2020  Edited: 29  November  2023