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News

https://www.facebook.com/ChestercastleandAgricolatower

380th Anniversary great siege of Chester
20th and 21st September 2025
11am Chester Castle 2pm Roman Gardens

We will be supporting this weekend coming 20th and 21st September 2025 to help commemorate the 380th anniversary great siege of Chester during the English Civil War.
With our own 17th century clothed interpreters on site over the weekend, the commemoration on Sunday the 21st will be special.
In conjunction Heritage open days and Heritage Chester.

https://www.facebook.com/ChestercastleandAgricolatower
Chester Castle and The Civil War
Saturday 20th September 2025 & Sunday 21st September 2025
380 Years ago this month , Chester was in the midst of a siege and a fight for its very existence

Chester Castle played a significant role during the Civil War. It was of major importance to the city.
Serving as the main armory for the county as well as the headquarters for the Royalist governor, John, Lord Byron.
And where his own regiment of foot was quartered in 1644 as part of the Chester garrison.
Little is known of the additional defences the castle saw, but the outer bailey walls and gatehouse all likely saw a strengthening.
The inner Bailey, where our current guardianship stands, was fortified with the medieval drawbridges and gates still standing in the 1640’s.
Any outworks to protect the gates were likely added during 1643/4.
Despite the Royalists' efforts to strengthen the city's defenses, the Parliamentarians managed to break through the defenses.
And set up gun emplacements close to the city walls.
But the castle was never attacked due to its strong tactical position. Nor did any of Parliament's heavy cannon positioned over the river, on what is now Chester golf course, play upon it - good job for us now.
This weekend, we celebrate the efforts of the garrison and the loyal citizens of Chester as part of Heritage Open Days.
Come and explore the site and hear some of the stories of the civil war siege from our team of volunteers.
And on Sunday, we will celebrate the holding of the city's defences during the great assaults on the city in September of 1645, which were valiantly held by the citizens and garrison at the breach site in the city walls.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1451292242922918/1451292252922917/

Georgian Fair

TBA
10am - 4pm
English Heritage
Chester Castle and Agricola Tower
Grosvenor Street CH1 2DN Chester United Kingdom
Free

Our wildest event to date, a first for Chester Castle.
Join us for a hilarious weekend of historical fun. Entry is free
Our next big event, Georgian Fair, will be on 21st and 22nd of June.
This is a first for Chester Castle and promises to be one of our wildest productions yet.
Entry is free as always. Add the date to your diary and we’ll see you then.

https://www.facebook.com/events/647509114936719/647509124936718/

Chester Castle and Agricola Tower
Grosvenor Street Chester CH1 5ET
TBA
10am - 3pm
Free entry

Prepare for the Great War at Chester castle this weekend.
Suitable for all the family.
Gates open 10am-3pm

Weapon demonstration
Women in the War
Mounted Cavalry
Living History Camp
Combat training games
Castle tours
Jail cell bookshop

https://www.facebook.com/ChestercastleandAgricolatower/
Chester Castle and Agricola Tower
2025 Re-enactment History Events
2025 Event Calendar for Chester Castle. Make a note on your new calendar so you don’t miss out.

https://www.activeleisureevents.co.uk/marathon



Facebook - Chester Marathon

https://x.com/chestermarathon


Start : Chester Racecourse
Finish : Castle Drive Chester

MBNA Chester Marathon
TBA 2025
9am–3pm
Location : The Racecourse, Town/City, Chester Area.

The multi-award winning and sell-out MBNA Chester Marathon will return in 2025.
We have developed an enviable reputation with runners of all levels.
We are looking forward to the 13th MBNA Chester Marathon. Our spectacular marathon route is both historic and scenic.
Runners leave the racecourse and head into the City centre passing the Town Hall, Cathedral, split level Middle Ages "Rows", Eastgate Clock.


The MBNA Chester Marathon is the UK's favourite marathon (less than 5000 runners), Three Running Awards.
With a spectacular start and finish very near Chester Racecourse, the route passes all Chester's iconic landmarks,
then heads out into the Cheshire & North Wales countryside, before returning along the banks of the River Dee for an unforgettable finish.
All finishers will receive a technical t shirt, bespoke medal and a goody bag.

https://hospiceofthegoodshepherd.com/gs-events/sparkle
Chester Sparkle Walk
TBA 2025
Castle Drive Chester
Registration 8pm Walk Start 10pm
Hospice of the Good Shepherd
Join hundreds of others by taking part in our 5km Chester Sparkle Sponsored Walk.
5km walk around Chester city centre and light up the streets with an array of sparkle, glitter and neon. To help raise vital funds to support local people.

English Heritage Website
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/chester-castle-agricola-tower-and-castle-walls/

Active Travel Festival
www.atfest.uk
Free
TBA 2025
Castle Square Lower Car Park CH1 2DN Chester

Chester Green Weekend
www.greenexpo.uk
Free
7th and 8th June 2025
Riverside
Castle Drive
Chester

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk
English Heritage
English Heritage cares for over 400 historic monuments, buildings and places - from world-famous prehistoric sites to grand medieval castles.

Chester Castle is open to the public on English Heritage Open Days in 2022.

Chester Castle

Chester Castle
Grosvenor Street
Chester City Centre
Cheshire
CH1 2DN

Chester Castle History Open Day

Admission is free
Open TBA Next Event

Come and join us for a rare opportunity to see inside the castle where our knowledgeable volunteers will be bringing the story of Chester Castle to life.
The latest gathering at the mighty stronghold that is Chester Castle.
The last English Castle to hold against William of Normandy.
Fully three years after the Harrying of the North begun, Chester stood strong.
The invading Normans were rightly apprehensive about taking Chester, shrouded, as it was at the time in mist and mystery,
much as the Romans had felt about invading Britain,
superstitious lot that they all were.
So much lore to be learnt loquaciously.
We'd absolutely love to see you here - "TEMPUS TACENDI, TEMPUS LOQUENDI"

For further info please go to
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/chester-castle-agricola-tower-and-castle-walls/

Chester Pride

www.chesterpride.co.uk
Chester Pride
2023 TBA
Chester Castle
Lower Car Park

Art Exhibition

Access to Chester Castle is only available via the Secret Chester Tour three days a week

Chester Castle was founded on a small sandstone hill in the south west corner of the city walls in 1070 by William the Conqueror. It was the royal base for the military conquest of North Wales.

Model of the Grosvenor Bridge located near the castle

The Outer Bailey of the Castle

Chester Crown Courts now occupy the outer bailey of the Castle. Outside of the main Castle entrance is a roundabout. Joining the roundabout is the A483 Grosvenor Road, Grosvenor Street, A5268 Nicholas Street.

Around the corner is Castle Street. Which has the Golden Eagle Pub on it. From here you can access Bridge Street. Click on the picture for information on Bridge Street More >>>

Golden Eagle

Golden Eagle
Chester
Traditional Pub with Jukebox

Traditional pub in the heart of the City
ChesterTourist.com Rating

If you cross Grosvenor Road at the crossing (be careful this road is very busy) you can access Chester Race Course from Nuns Road. Click on the picture for information on Chester Race Course More >>>

Cheshire Regimental museum is located in the car park of the crown court. Also behind the castle is old St Mary's Church. Which is now used as an educational centre and is owned be Cheshire County Council.

Click on the picture for more information on St Mary's on the hill

Chester Crown Courts

The Castle
Chester
CH1 2AN
01244 317 606

Parking in front of the courts.

http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk

Date Visited 14th July 2023

Cheshire Military Museum

The Castle
Chester
CH1 2DN
01244 327 617
www.cheshiremilitarymuseum.co.uk

Date Visited 13th August 2022

Inside Chester Castle

Chester Castle Information board.

Agricola's Tower or Julius Caesar's Tower

Chester Castle is located on the Southeast corner of the City Walls on a small sandstone hill overlooking the river. There may have been a Roman auxiliary fort built on the spot in AD 79. In 1069 William the Conqueror had the castle built. Much of the Medieval castle has been rebuilt in later times. In 1790 whole of the medieval castle except the walls of the upper bailey and Agicola's tower were demolished. Chester Crown Courts are situated in the outer bailey. Chester Castle appears not to be open to the public much these days. This bank holiday Monday I took the opportunity to have a look inside the castle. The parts of the castle that are open to visitors are: The Guardroom, Agricola's Tower, The Chapel of St. Mary De Castro and the Battlements.

The Guardroom

	The Guardroom is located next to Agicola's tower. It consists of a room and a small number of white washed cells. There is a reconstruction of a guard in period clothing looking into one of the cells. In the room as you go through the door are panels displaying the periods of history of the castle. They are well worth a read.

Agricola's Tower

Agricola's Tower or Julius Caesar's Tower is one of the only original surviving parts of the Norman Castle. It is located in the upper bailey of the castle. And has a large arched entranceway. When the tower was refaced in 1837. The foundations of one of the corners was found to be built on a Roman arch. In 1831 a small piece of a Roman tombstone was found in the wall near the southeast part of the tower.

The Chapel of St. Mary De Castro

The Chapel of St. Mary De Castro is located in the upper part of Agricola's Tower. It is accessible by a spiral stone stair case from the bottom room. The chapel is now a plain upper chamber which has a vaulted and groined stone roof supported by slender pillars with decorated capitals. The Chapel is only open by appointment. But you can see it through the bars across chapel door. It was built as a private chapel for the Earls of Chester. It contains a wooden cross of a soldier killed in France 1914-1918. The brass cross on the altar is dedicated to Captain Collins of the 2nd Battalion. Killed in the South African war 1899-1902. James II attended mass here on the 28th August 1687. The Chapel was deconsecrated and used as an ammunition and gunpowder store until 1921. It was reconsecrated in 1925. The Chapel has fragments of high quality frescos dating from around the 1230's. From the time of Earl Rannulf III. The frescos are of exceptional quality and are unusually small reminiscent of contemporary stained glass and manuscript illumination. On the north wall there are parts of an ecclesiastical scene. Telling the story of the priest who was unable to remember any mass other than that of the virgin. And also the story of Ebbo the penitent thief. The virgin supported him for two days to save him from hanging. The south wall tells the story of the boy of Bourges. The west wall tells the tale of Theophilus. Just the head of the bishop is visible. The east wall there is an unidentified scene from the 12th century with a man in a wide brimmed hat. In the altar recess are the remains of a crucifixion scene. The Chapel is now used as the regimental chapel of the 22nd Cheshire Regiment. The Frescos are hard to see. There is an information panel with pictures in the down stairs room.

Door to the Chapel.

The Chapel is accessed by a spiral staircase.

Fresco fragment.

The Altar.

Information Board.

You cannot go into the Chapel, but you can view it through an iron grill.

The Battlements

BLM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stapleton_Cotton,_1st_Viscount_Combermere

The Rear

At the rear of Chester Castle is County Hall the home of Cheshire County Council

You can join the walls at this point

You can also see Handbridge from across the River.

The road that runs along side the Castle and around the back to the Old Dee Bridge is called Castle Drive.

Click on the picture to enter Bridge Street

Other Castles in the area

Holt Castle

Beeston Castle.
Click on the picture for more information

Chester Magistrates Court

Chester Pride Event

https://www.facebook.com/chesterprideuk/?locale=en_GB

The Castle Car Park will be closed for this event.

Chester Pride

Free annual two day weekend event with parade, stalls and live music in Chester Castle Car Parks. In Chester City Centre about ten minutes walk from The Cross.

Saturday 17th August 2024

https://en-gb.facebook.com/chesterprideuk/

Chester Castle Square, Off Grosvenor Street, Chester, Cheshire, England, CH1 2DN, U.K.

01244 257 602

info@chesterpride.co.uk

www.chesterpride.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/chesterprideuk/
Chester Pride 2025

Reviews

Date Visited 5th November 2022

External Links

www.thecrownestate.co.uk

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/chester-castle-agricola-tower-and-castle-walls

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