Building record 12000/21 - Chester City Walls - Wall between Eastgate and Thimbleby's Tower

This section of the city walls extends from the Eastgate (CHER 12000/20) to Thimbleby’s Tower (CHER 12000/22) and is one of the few sections of the walls that has visible Roman remains. The medieval stonework dates to between the late eleventh or early twelfth centuries, with repairs undertaken throughout the medieval period, but was converted into a raised promenade between 1702 and 1708. There is an L-shaped ashlar stair towards St John’s St. (St John’s Steps, CHER 12000/21/1). The inner face of the wall is partly refaced in brick in the northern portion, with blank arches and eight circular apertures, and there is a 1960s concrete footbridge from the wall walk to the Grosvenor shopping precinct. To the rear of the Wesley Methodist Church, there are three eroded nineteenth century gravestones and a frieze above inscribed ‘WESLEYAN CHAPEL’, attached to the wall (8). Part of this section collapsed in April 2008, resulting in a tightly controlled programme of dismantling and detailed recording, with a view to reconstruction by specialist contractors. At this particular location, the medieval wall was seen to be resting directly on the rubble of the Roman defences, which appeared to have been levelled prior to being built on. Pottery evidence also showed repairs took place during post medieval times, at least in the sixteenth to early seventeenth centuries (13).

<1> Simpson, F., 1910, The Walls of Chester, /30 (Book). SCH3255.

<2> Pevsner N & Hubbard E, 1971, The Buildings of England: Cheshire, /155 (Book). SCH3078.

<4> Harris, B.E., 1979, Bartholomew City Guides - Chester, /93 (Book). SCH394.

<5> Morris, Rupert H (Rev.), 1894, Chester in the Plantagenet & Tudor Reigns, /245 (Book). SCH946.

<7> Donald Insall Associates, Chester City Walls Conservation Management Plan, R3251 (Client Report). SCH6603.

<8> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 470123 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

<9> Mason, D. J. P., 1994/5, 'And the Walls came Tumbling Down': Excavations Adjacent to the City Walls in St John Street 1988/9 (Article in Journal). SCH5840.

<10> Gaimster D, Margeson S & Barry T, 1989, Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1988 (Article in Journal). SCH5630.

<11> LeQuesne C, 1999, Excavations at Chester: The Roman and Later Defences Part I (Monograph). SCH6156.

<12> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 2009, Essential Repairs to a Section of the Collapsed City wall, St John Street, Chester: Summary Report, R2937 (Client Report). SCH5231.

<13> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 2010, Proposed Improvements to the Grosvenor Hotel Yard, Rear of the City Walls on St John Street, Chester: Archaeological Assessment, R3000 (Client Report). SCH5326.

<14> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 2010, Grosvenor Hotel Yard, Rear of City Wall on St John Street, Chester: a Programme of Archaeological Mo, R3045 (Client Report). SCH5411.

<15> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 2011, A New Concrete Retaining Buttress on the East Side of the City Wall, St John Street, Chester: a Programme of Limited Archaeological Excavation and Recording, R3068 (Client Report). SCH5440.

<16> Chester City Council Archaeology Service, 2008, The Past Uncovered (Newsletter). SCH6046.

<17> Chester Archaeology, Miscellaneous notes from Chester Archaeology (Written Communication). SCH6630.

<18> Gifford and Partners, 2010, Chester City Walls: Investigation into collapse near Eastgate, R3260 (Client Report). SCH6634.

<19> Cheshire West and Chester Historic Environment Service, 2009, Chester City Walls 2009 Desk Based Assessment, R3433 (Client Report). SCH7040.