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FREE Heritage Open Days - The Water Tower

Chester City Walls
North West Corner
Sunday 14th September
11am - 3pm

Your rare chance to step inside the 14th century Water Tower on Chester City Walls ?
Visit the 14th century Water Tower on Chester City Walls, built to defend the port of Chester - and discover how this landlocked landmark has quite a watery past.
This part of the Walls dates to the early 10th century when Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians, extended the original Roman defences to protect the town from the Vikings.
Meet time traveller Aethelflaed telling her story of Chester in the 10th century.

The Water Tower

The Water Tower is located on the end of a spur wall on the north west corner of the city walls.The Water Tower or as it was called then 'new tower' was constructed in the time of Edward II (1322-25) at a cost of one hundred Pounds. John de Helpston was the mason in charge. The tower was added onto the City Walls protect and collect import taxes from trade ships coming into the Port of Chester. The tower had a iron rings around the base so ships could tie up against it.

The Water Tower in Medieval Times

The Spur Wall
The Spur Wall. Click for more information >>>

The tower was constructed to control shipping and taxes into the port of Chester. And originally projected out into the waters of the River Dee. Boats could be moored around the base. But over time the Dee silted up and the tower has been left high and dry, now 100 yards from the waters edge.
Outside the tower

During the English Civil War the battlements on the spur wall were converted to Gun Ports.

This is an example of a gun port in use in Portland Castle.

The Gloverstone
This is an ancient boundary marker stone moved from outside the Castle.

Inside the Tower

Garderobe or Loo in the
entrance

Inside the ground floor of the
tower

The inside of the Tower

The upper floor of the Water Tower is accessed by a spiral stair case. It once contained a Victorian Museum of Curiosities which was opened in 1838 by the Mechanics Institute. It once contains such items as a head of a Maori chief. A drinking vessel belonging to William the Conqueror. And a skull of a Civil War soldier. The museum closed in the 1850's. It was used as a props room in the 1960's. It now contains a small display on the history of the Water Tower.
The Water Tower Gardens

The Shropshire Union Canal is close by

Northgate Locks

An old postcard of the Water Tower

Towers Tour
King Charles Tower >>> Bonewaldesthorne's Tower >>> Water Tower >>>

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