Wednesday 30 March 2011

One day in Chester

Our first night in the Telford basin at Chester was fine and quiet and after walking the dogs three boat crews set off for a bit of a tour of the City of Chester.  We heading into town by returning to the Northgate locks - clue in the name of the locks- and entering the City through the North gate and then walking clockwise around the City wall. 
 L-R David and Linda of NB Critical point, Joe, Jill and Graham of Nb Matilda Rose.
 Glimpsed from the City wall, The Blue Coat Hospital 
 Chester Cathedral formerly a Benedictine Abbey until the reformation in 1540 when the occupants were evicted and the Abbey seized by Crown Officers - the following year the site was 'relaunched, in modern parlance' as a Cathedral with a new Bishop towing the Tudor line...
The Millennium Bell Tower, sandstone and slate, very indigenous.. but rather striking, ho, ho
And yet another famous time piece, the Jubilee clock tower overlooking the center of Chester. Erected to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.
A City of bustling shopping streets, a wide variety of small shops and lots of Cheshire 'black and white' buildings.  A real eclectic mix but with little evidence of 1960's concrete thank goodness.
This chap was so good that Joe put his hand in his pocket and donated a coin - almost unheard of and from the look on Joe's face as he looks back, he might be regretting his impetuosity...
Look at the detail in that, a work of art rather than just a building
The three couples had split up to tour the City and after lunch Joe and I wandered down towards the R. Dee and walked along the City wall towards the Chester racecourse and back to the Telford Basin and Caxton.
A free view on race day?
The infirmary, another elegant building that someone of money and note had bequeathed to the City before the days of the NHS circa 1761 I think.

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