King Charles I

The carved statue, on what was once the front of an Art Gallery in Bridge Street Row, is of King Charles I. Placed there after his beheading by the Parliamentarians, it was discovered to be too tall for the niche. The solution was to take a chunk out of his legs, so he appears even shorter than in real life (he was only around 5ft 4in or 1m 63cm).

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Chester Clock Charm

In Waltons the Jewellers, at the corner of Eastgate St and Bridge St, I spotted this silver charm, intended for a bracelet. They told me that it was a copy of an antique charm, and that they have them made specially.

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Old Dee Bridge II

The bridge that stands today is said to have been built during the middle years of the 14th century. References to predecessors have been found in records that include the Domesday Book. Stone guard towers originally stood at either end of the bridge, but were demolished in 1780, and the bridge was widened in 1826 as part of a modernisation program. The guard towers were a defence against the Welsh raider that attacked from the south of the river. Handbridge was known as 'Treboeth' or 'Burnt Town because it was so often destroyed in attacks on the city.

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Chester Cathedral X

First, there was the Roman fortress, then came Saxon churches built on the rubble. St Peter's and St Paul's is supposed to have been built here in 660AD, but at the beginning of the 10th century the remains of St Werburgh were brought here, probably to protect them from invading Vikings. At that point the church was re-dedicated to St Werburgh, and St Peter's was moved to its' present position by the Cross.  Under the first Norman earl in 1092 it became St Werburgh's Abbey, housing Benedictine monks, and it took just over a century to build. Then the monks rebuilt it in Gothic style, taking 435 years to do so, although traces of original Norman work remain inside.

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Rococo

Inside the Chester Grosvenor Hotel a new branch of Rococo has opened, selling exquisite chocolates. I went in for a quick taste of their hot chocolate, which was satisfyingly thick and dark and quite bitter.  They even have a little train which carries chocolate round the shop.

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Steam Mill

Along the banks of the Shropshire Union Canal are the remains of some of Chester's industrial past, including the Steam Mill. Currently home to Artichoke, a place where you can sit outside and eat and drink whilst you watch the narrowboats go by, it used to be an animal feed mill. Upstairs it houses offices and a renal dialysis centre. I have also been to showings of art films here, hosted by the local film club.

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Cow Lane (or Frodsham St)

Once upon a time Frodsham Street was called Cow Lane, and indeed the bridge at the end of the street is still called Cow Lane Bridge. The name commemorates the days when what is now Gorse Stacks car park was a cattle market, and the cattle were driven up Cow Lane on their way to and from the market.

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