Virtual Town Hall

Using special equipment and computer wizardly we are able to bring you a virtual trip through four of the rooms of Chester's Town Hall.

The tours are brought to you in the form of an interactive movie that runs using the Quick Time Virtual Reality System. For these files to work you must have the QuickTime Player installed on your computer.

The QuickTime player is a completely free piece of software and it is a quick and easy process to download and install on your machine. Download QuickTime for Windows PCs (external link)

 

Please Note that some of the files here are quite large, and could take several hours to download unless using broadband.

Wherever possible we have tried to include lower quality versions that are suitable for user on dialup modems. In each case the recommended connection speed is noted next to the file.

QTVR help

The Assembly Room

This is the largest room in the Town Hall. Above the stage is painted the former armorial bearings of Chester, with the city motto, 'Antiqui Colant Antiquum Dierum', which may be translated as 'Let the ancients worship the ancient of days'. The armorial bearings are also depicted in the circular stained glass window.

Take the Tour

• Very High Quality Assembly Room Virtual Tour - 11Mb Broadband strongly recommended

The Council Chamber

The Council Chamber is a particularly impressive room, which is oak panelled and adorned with splendid carvings in wood and stone.

Chester's former armorial bearings and the arms of the Prince of Wales as Earl of Chester are carved in wood above the fireplace. The Chamber also contains the grant of new armorial bearings received from the college of Arms in 1977.

On 27 March 1897, the Council Chamber was completely gutted by fire, but was restored the following year. The gallery clock was presented by John Goodie Holmes, Mayor of Chester in 1897-98.

 

• Normal Quality Council Chamber Virtual Tour - 1Mb Suitable for Dial Up Modems
• Very High Quality Council Chamber Virtual Tour - 19Mb Broadband strongly recommended

The Council Chamber Landing

The shields and plaques that decorate the staircase wall have been presented by distinguished visitors to the Town Hall.

On the half landing is a memorial presented to the City of Chester by the Polish Air Force Unit at Sealand, Chester on Poland's National Day, 3 August 1944.

The Victorian stained glass windows above the staircase depict Gherbod the Fleming, who was given the Earldom of Chester by William the Conqueror, and the seven Norman Earls of Chester; Hugh I (c.1077-1101) who was known as Hugh Lupus; Richard (1101-20); Ranulph I (1120-28); Ranulph II (1128-53); Hugh II (1153-81); Ranulph III (1181-1232); and John the Scot (1232-37).

The portraits on the upper staircase wall also depict the Norman Earls, but are entirely imaginary. They were painted in 1578 and show the Earls in Tudor armour.

The three sculptures on the landing are Earl Ranulph III granting a charter to the citizens; Prince Edward, later Edward I (1272-1307) receiving homage; and James II (1685-88) being welcomed on his visit to Chester in 1687.

 

• Normal Quality Council Chamber Landing Virtual Tour - 700Kb Suitable for Dial Up Modems
• Very High Quality Council Chamber Landing Virtual Tour - 9Mb Broadband strongly recommended

Committee Room

The room adjacent to the Lord Mayor's Parlour is now mainly used for meetings of committees of the City Council. The panels bear the names of the Mayors of Chester from 1238, Lord Mayors from 1991, the Sheriffs from 1836, the Norman and Royal Earls from c.1070, the Clerks and Town Clerks from 1291 and Recorders from 1506. There is also a roll of Honorary Freemen of Chester from 1897, including the present Prince of Wales.

Very High Quality Committee Room Virtual Tour - 7Mb Broadband strongly recommended

 

QTVR Help

QuickTime VR panoramas are special images which allow you to see a 360 degree view.

The image appears in a window which you can 'move around' using mouse movements.