Chester is a walled City in the most southerly part of England's Northwest region and is also one of the traditional Marcher counties, bordering North Wales. It’s an extremly picturesque city with lots to see and do. It’s quite small and so getting around on foot isn’t a problem. And now for a bit of history; It was founded as a "castrum" or Roman fort with the name Deva Victrix in the year 79 by the Roman Legio II Adiutrix during the reign of the Emperor Vespasian. Chester's four main roads, Eastgate, Northgate, Watergate and Bridge, follow routes laid out at this time – almost 2,000 years ago. One of the three main Roman army bases, Deva later became a major settlement in the Roman province of Britannia. After the Romans left in the 5th century, the Saxons fortified the town against the Danes and gave Chester its name. The patron saint of Chester, Werburgh, is buried in Chester Cathedral.
Chester was one of the last towns in England to fall to the Normans in the Norman conquest of England. William the Conqueror ordered the construction of a castle, to dominate the town and the nearby Welsh border. In 1071 he appointed Hugh d'Avranches, the 1st Earl of Chester.
Chester has a number of medieval buildings, but some of the black-and-white buildings within the city centre are actually Victorian restorations. Chester is one of the best preserved walled cities in the British Isles. Apart from a 100-metre (330 ft) section, the listed Grade I walls are almost completely intact.
The Industrial Revolution brought railways, canals, and new roads to the city, which saw substantial expansion and development –Chester Town Hall and the Grosvenor Museum are examples of Victorian architecture from this period.
Below are a few of my photographs of Chester, unfortunately I didn’t visit on a particularly nice day but I’ve still captured some interesting shots that display the city’s aesthetic qualities.
