Water Tower, Chester
The Water Tower in Chester is a medieval defensive structure standing at the northwestern corner of the city's famous Roman and medieval walls. It is one of the most distinctive landmarks along Chester's remarkable circuit of walls, which are the most complete Roman and medieval city walls in England. The tower was built in the fourteenth century, constructed between 1322 and 1325, and was originally designed to guard the harbour and the mouth of the River Dee, which at that time lapped close to its base. Over the centuries the river has shifted course and silted up, leaving the tower now standing above a grassy area rather than water, which makes its original purpose somewhat difficult to visualise today. Despite this, the tower remains a compelling and well-preserved example of medieval military architecture and is an essential stop along any walk of the city walls.
The tower was commissioned by the city of Chester and built largely at the expense of the civic authorities, with some contributions from wealthy citizens. It was intended to complement the Bonewaldesthorne's Tower, to which it is connected by a short spur of wall stretching out from the main circuit, creating a fortified promontory that once extended into the river. This arrangement gave defenders a commanding view and field of fire over approaching vessels. The name Bonewaldesthorne, which refers to the adjacent tower at the junction with the main wall, derives from a local landowner, and together the two towers formed a formidable defensive unit. The Water Tower itself is a cylindrical structure rising three storeys, with walls of considerable thickness constructed from the warm reddish-brown sandstone so characteristic of Chester's historic buildings.
In person, the tower has a satisfyingly solid and ancient presence. The red sandstone from which it is built glows warmly in afternoon sunlight, and the texture of the masonry — worn smooth in places, deeply pitted in others — speaks eloquently of its seven hundred years of exposure to the elements. The interior, which visitors can access when the tower is open, contains a small museum display on one level, with information about the tower's history and Chester's medieval past. The views from the upper level are rewarding, offering sweeping sightlines over the surrounding area and along the line of the city walls in both directions, as well as toward the Welsh hills on clear days.
The surrounding landscape is a pleasing mix of the urban and the green. Immediately below the tower lies an area of open ground and parkland, and the canal — the Shropshire Union Canal — runs close by, its towpath providing a pleasant walking route. The tower stands near the northwestern corner of the walled city, not far from the Northgate and the area known as the Rows, Chester's famous medieval galleried shopping streets. The neighbourhood here is quieter than the busier shopping streets of the city centre, giving the tower and this stretch of the walls a more contemplative and unhurried atmosphere.
Visiting is straightforward, as the Water Tower is accessible from the city walls, which are free to walk at all times. The walls can be joined at numerous points around Chester, and this northwestern section is reachable on foot from the Northgate or from the Eastgate area with a pleasant walk along the parapet. The tower itself has historically been open to visitors at certain times and during local heritage events, though opening hours can be seasonal and variable, so it is worth checking with Chester's tourism services or the local authority before making a special journey to enter the interior. Chester city centre is well served by bus and rail, with Chester railway station lying roughly a fifteen-minute walk from the tower.
A fascinating detail about the Water Tower is the degree to which the landscape around it has changed since its construction. When it was built, the tower rose directly above the tidal waters of the Dee, and its lower storey was fitted with iron rings for mooring boats and a portcullis to control water-borne access to the city. Today those rings are gone and the river is a considerable distance away, a consequence of centuries of silting, land reclamation, and the eventual canalisation of the Dee. This transformation means the tower now stands in a situation that would be completely unrecognisable to the medieval garrison who once manned it, adding an almost melancholy dimension to what is otherwise a cheerful and photogenic heritage attraction.