Information Sheet: Water Tower

The Water Tower stands at the north-west corner of the medieval walled city, and is now one of the best-preserved features of its defences. It was deemed necessary to build it as the course of the River Dee had significantly altered and silted up. Like a similar tower at Conway, now lost, it served to defend the harbour, and would have stood in the river Dee, which has now moved another 200 yards away. During the Middle Ages Chester was a busy port trading with Ireland and the Continent.

John de Helpston built the tower for £100, probably between 1322 and 1326. The contract between him and the city, which is still preserved, makes it clear that Bonewaldesthorne's Tower (turrus de Benewaldestham), through which the Water Tower is reached, was already in existence. A spur wall nearly 100 feet long links the two towers. At 11 feet wide this is approximately twice as thick as the city wall, and the lowest part is 24 feet above the present ground. Both sides of the wall have traces of the original crenellations. There is a substantial arch through the wall at ground level, and over this there is a small room from which a portcullis may have been raised and lowered.

A statue of  Queen Anne which once occupied the niche on the steps was rescued from the Exchange when it was burned down in 1862. This vanished in the 1960s.

Above the solid base of the Water Tower there are two rooms, both octagonal internally, the lower slightly below the level of the wall walk. In the lower room are deep recesses leading to arrow slits. To the right of the entrance there was a small latrine. A winding stair to the left leads to the upper room and roof. The upper room has only four windows, and that to the right of the entrance is presumably a replacement of the original. The position of the fireplace can still be seen in the west wall.

The roof parapet still retains much of its crenellations, and overlooking the tower entrance and spur wall there is a raised platform which was originally gained by a continuation of the stair. The tower was for some time the Museum of the Mechanics Institute during the nineteenth century, and since 1962 has been a museum again. A restored Camera Obscura was installed on the roof of Bonewaldesthorne's Tower.

In 1846 the railway line from Chester to Ruabon was cut through two sections of the wall at its north-west corner, but the wall walk was carefully preserved with new bridges. The tracks still carry all trains between Chester and North Wales.

Some of the best views of the towers are from the surrounding garden. On the north side of the arch is a tablet recording repairs by six 'muringers' in 1730 during the mayoralty of John Pemberton.

Recently a new maze has been placed in the Water Tower gardens.

The Water Tower is currently closed to the public, but is occasionally opened for special events such as Heritage weekends. Please contact the Grosvenor Museum on 01244 402008 for details.

References

A fuller description of the tower by D.F. Renn will be found in Chester Archaeological Society Journal, vol.45 (1958)