Day 3 Walking tour of Chester

Day 3 Day 3 Hoole/ Chester - 15 kms of walking and MANY photos

Hoole is basically next door to Chester. Chester was first established as a Roman fortress and town, known as Deva Victrix in about AD 74 or 75. The fortress was in the shape of a rectangle with rounded corners. It was a port town. No longer close to the sea. It is believed to have been destined to become the most important town in England. Two major Roman roads intersected in the middle of the town

I woke after a good night’s sleep. At one stage Tim’s coughing woke me up, but basically exhaustion won for me. Issue number 2 of this trip was discovered late last night: tablets that were still in the fridge at home!

It was a glorious sunny, 23 C day. The hottest day in April since 1946.

We had breakfast, then it was time for Tim to go to work and the kids to go to school/Day care and our walking tour to begin. Sarah took me through the main shopping street of Hoole, past the Chester Railway Station to the historic Chester black and white buildings/ shopping area. I was taking photos as fast as I could. So many beautiful historic buildings with amazing quirky carved details.

Our first stop was St Peter’s built on Roman foundations by Ethelfreda, daughter of King Alfred the Great, in 907. It was a beautiful church and the impressive stain glass windows. We walked down Bridge St to a café, “Jaunty Goat” for morning tea and gf cake. Then we walked to the Roman Gardens, where they have a great view of the Roman wall and the repairs done to the wall after the Battle of Chester in the Civil War under Charles 1.

Crossing the road to the site of the Roman amphitheatre, which held up to 7000. Next door was St. John’s church, possibly founded earlier than 689, and as such one of the oldest churches in Europe. It was a pilgrimage church reputedly holding a piece of the cross. Part of the buildings on site were destroyed after the Reformation. Again glorious stain glass windows and wonderful architectural features.

From here we walked along the Roman wall down to the River Dee where there were plenty enjoying the lovely sunshine. Past the Weir in the river to the medieval Old Dee Bridge and the Bridge Gate, along the Chester University buildings, which has incorporated parts of the Chester Castle. We stopped to have a look at the Grosvenor Bridge in the distance. Up the slight hill to the Chester Racecourse, which used to be the site of the Roman port. The River Dee has silted up so much that the sea is now 17 miles away. In the Racecourse you can see the base of the Roodee Cross.

We walked along Grosvenor St to Bridge St, past the huge Town Hall to the next most amazing church – the extraordinary Chester Cathedral.

This Church of England Cathedral was built in 1093 by the Benedictine monks on the site of a much older church. In 1538 the monastery was disbanded, but in 1541 Henry 8th claimed it for the Church of England and the beautiful stain glass windows document his ties with the church. In 1636 the space beneath the s/w towers were made into a bishop’s consistory court and heard cases until the 1930’s. The Cathedral was definitely a highlight. We had our lunch there in the café which was once the monk’s refractory. They are creating the entire Cathedral complex from Lego and I donated to the cause. There were many amazing parts to this church, including a special children’s chapel. Outside the church I broke my watchband when I was putting on my back pack. Yet another issue to solve.

By now I had used up two camera batteries and it was time to go and pick up Lachie. So we walked along the Roman wall to Cow Lane Bridge and from here along the Shropshire Union Canal, complete with narrow boats. There were many photo opportunities along the canal. Past the Mill and the Chester Shot tower, which is going to be converted into apartments.

We collected Lachie from school, changed into lighter clothes and set off for the local doctor’s to get a script for my missing tablets. A short wait at the surgery, a very quick visit to explain my problem and then we went to the chemist. No cost for the doctor or tablets! NHS. Sarah picked up some shopping on the way home and left Lachie with me to walk home while she walked up to get Amelia.  Lachie started his “rock collection” on the way home. I bought in the washing and Lachie played outside until Sarah arrived. She prepared dinner and the kids began eating slightly before Tim arrived home. The usual dinner bedtime routines and I finally sat down to write my diary at 7:30, but it was interrupted by a TV programme about the Roman connections to Chester, much of which I had seen today. A GREAT walking tour. I down loaded photos, but ran out of editing time. Bed 12 am.