CHESTER Cont`d

Chester a Roman fortress called Deva goes back some 2,000yrs. I have found the city facinating and can only blog a few bits but there is so much to see here i can recommend it to you. The walk on the walls is full of information posts and there is also a large visitor centre. Also you can walk around and through the site of a roman Amphitheatre that held 7,000 spectators being excavated.


Bit like coronation street these little row of houses complete with outside loo. Just what i need a loo, must find a pub. Now there`s an idea a pub crawl, only to show you some of the old taverns in the city you understand.

Here`s a map of the course hope if you view it full size the river in relation to the course can be seen.

Chester racecourse said to be the first horse racing venue in the country. The first race after the last war attracted 103,000 punters.
More interesting is the fact that back in time this area was a Roman port. Part of the quay can be seen at the edge of the course. The R. Dee then became silted and changed it`s course and the result was this expance of land.
Must be the only racecourse you can stand outside and view the whole race start to finish for free.

Walking further along the city wall brings you to" The Groves " a tree lined walk by the River Dee. The lime trees were laid out in 1725. Here you can sit and watch the trip boats and small self-drive motor boats coming and going while you rest from walking the 2 mile circuit of the city walls. From here you can see the weir originatig after 1092.

Originaly the clock was for Queen Vic`s Diamond jubilee but ran late and was started up on her 80th birthday in 1899. It was wound once a week for 70 yrs but elektricary took over.
The city gate,Eastgate, the clock stands upon was built in 1768 and replaced a medieval gate.

This timber framed building dates back to 1571

The small houses to the left are almshouses dating back to 1650 while the large house is 1880`s and bears the inscription "The fear of the lord is the fountain of life" What bearing this has if any on the present occupier, a dentist surgery, i`m not sure.