Thursday, July 19, 2012

Chester

Our second day in Manchester we took the train to Chester, where I had booked a tour through a website I found online, http://www.chesterwalls.info/.

We met up with Steve on a very misty, wet morning, and received the grand tour of this fabulous, quaint old town.

Jess shot this one of the rest of us, near the beginning of our  adventure with Steve.  As it was raining steadily, we started in the covered shopping area, which was double decker!
You can see some of the shops from our view across the street.  It was very interesting to walk on the second level, as each business was in charge of what type of flooring.  I wish one of us would have taken photos of the flooring, as sometimes it was wood, or tile, or stone.  It just depended on who owned the property and what materials they chose to use.  It wasn't always even, so you had to watch your step!
I found this one shot showing some of the variation of flooring on the second level of shops.
Unfortunately, I have a considerable amount of reflection in this photo of a meat market.  Steve told us that all businesses (in the old days and even currently) are grouped.  So, there might be several meat markets in the same area, or bakeries, or whatever.  I would imagine that might work in favor of the consumers, as being close to each other, prices would be easy to compare.
One of the gates in the early wall, as there is more city on the other side.
Crumbling old wall, yet still navigable!
Anyone recall the Beatle's song "Nowhere Man"?  Steve told us that this is the house, known locally as "Nowhere House" that the Beatles heard about and John Lennon visited.  This house supposedly inspired him to write the song. 

Another nice section that is a mix of old and restored.
Pemberton is my maiden name, so I was tickled to find this plaque.  It is probably impossible to read, but tells of a gentleman named John Pemberton who was a Murenger (responsible for upkeep of the wall) who sort of initiated the use of a section of the wall as a "Parlour".  Ladies and gentlemen would promenade the wall, then sit and converse in the little jutting out section.  Sort of 18th century parking, I gather!

This is Pemberton's Parlour.  Not sure why it is gated off!
We walked the entire city on the wall, taking detours on occasion to view the inner and outer walls when handy.  This part was near the ancient jail, part of the earliest wall.  This was a moat, which later became the garbage dump.  It became a treasure trove of findings when excavated (I don't recall when).
There are a few memorials barely visable, as for many years it has sadly become a place chosen for the despondent to throw themselves over the side and perish.  Steve said this was due to the connection with the original gallows, and the walkway seen in the next photo.
This is the other side.  The tiny bridge was called "The Bridge of Sighs" as those who were walked across, were walking to their death in the gallows, having been found guilty of some crime or another. (Gallows long gone, and a newer building is now obstructing the path.)

Another of the city gates; I don't recall which one!)
This photo is taken from a pub where we stopped for refreshment.  The white bridge you can see in the background was the "tow bridge" used by horses pulling or "towing" barges along the canal.  It's very cleverly constructed, as the horses walked up on the left side of the canal, across the bridge, then down on the other side, towing the barge along behind them.

Inside the pub, this big gear thing had to do with the  canal, but I don't recall what exactly!  It's the focal point of the pub.

Another view inside the pub.
Old telly on the wall in the pub!
This is one of the oldest pubs still in existence in Chester!


Our Chester tour was very informative and Steve's droll Brit humor was highly entertaining!
If you're ever in the area, book a tour.  You won't be disappointed!

14 comments:

  1. You really got some great shots! I would love to visit there some day.

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  2. I am absolutely reeking with envy!! How wonderful, Sandi!

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  3. This was indeed a grand adventure, and your pictures made it come alive, Sandi.

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  4. These were really fun to look at and read about. You really did have a fabulous trip.

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  5. I really enjoyed your post on Chester and it brought back memories. Today I was leafing through some old appointment diaries to check the date of a past medical exam. I was looking at the one from 2001. I saw that we were booked in Chester in a bed and breakfast for 5 days. The first day would have been 9/13/01. Of course we never made it since all the airports were closed because of 9/11 – so we did not fly out of Atlanta on 9/12 and did not visit Chester.

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  6. Dear Sandi, I so enjoyed this posting. I love to learn and your trip to Europe has taught me so much as you have shared it. I'd so delight in seeing a walled city--even if the city has grown beyond the wall. I have been in England for a brief visit, but I never got to Chester. Now I can see what I missed. Thank you. Peace.

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  7. Oh Sandi, I'm sure I wouldn't be disappointed. That place looked amazing. Your photos and descriptions really gave me a feel for it. I think I'd like to visit there for a couple of days! What a trip, what great memories!
    If I ever get the chance, I'd go thanks to this post!!
    Love Di ♥

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  8. Such an interesting post Sandi. You are filling me in on parts of England I missed seeing recently.
    Also,in the process of doing some research recently on Australian convicts sent from England to Australia I was gobsmacked at the amount of hangings in England pre-transportation years, for the most trivial offences, often of a poverty-related nature. The prisons were always overcrowded, and it was a quick way of clearing them.
    In the English records I scrolled through on the internet, the name age, sex and offences are recorded- very sad, as they took place in large numbers on a regular basis,in most towns.
    We laugh here in Australia, that although we have a convict-based history as a nation - the weather and sunny beaches turned out in our favour compared to England!
    Thanks for an interesting and informative post.

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  9. Your pictures are really good. It seems that the rain did not dampen your spirits and you got around despite the weather.

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  10. My you got to pack in a great deal in such a short time. Isn't UK awesome? I can hardly wait to go back.

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  11. I love the lush surroundings and the architecture! Beautiful! Thanks for sharing all the pictures with us. :)

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  12. Oh, thank you so much for sharing this. I love the feel of the place and feel like I was there with you. No pictures of Steve?

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  13. This was fun for me as I've been to these places! What a hoot! Are you getting excited? Your stuff should be there today or tomorrow~

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  14. Great to see these Sandi, makes me want to visit it again- was nearby today when we went for a walk at Llangollen and the aqueduct, over the border from Chester in Denbighshire, Wales. ;-)

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