This and next weekend 10th and 11th, 17th and 18th September 2022, between 10am and 4pm, walkers around Chester City Walls will be able to venture into King Charles’ Tower, a rare treat.
This Grade I listed tower stands on the North-East corner of the city walls over-looking the canal. Parts of the tower date back to the 13th Century. It is called King Charles’ Tower because on the 24th of September 1645, King Charles stood on the tower and watched his army that was defeated in the battle of Rowton Moor earlier in the day, return towards the City.
The Inscription above the door reads: ‘King Charles Stood on this Tower Sept. 24 1645. And saw his army defeated on Rowton Moor’ however you can’t see Rowton Moor from the tower.
Visitors will be able to tour the two-storey tower free of charge, courtesy of volunteers from Chester Historic Buildings Preservation Trust (CHBPT) and learn more about its fascinating history and restoration in 2013.
Tony Barton, Chair of Trustees for CHBPT said: “We are delighted to be able to show members of the public round the tower these weekends and look forward to them especially enjoying the motion activated talking history of the tower that we have installed.”
He added; “Back in 2013 Donald Insall Associates completed the tower’s restoration in partnership with Cheshire West and Chester Council, who did well to secure funding from the European PORTICO project, so that there was no cost to the tax payer in carrying out this work.”
Visitors will be asked for a voluntary donation to the work of Chester Historic Buildings Preservation Trust.
More information: https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/king-charles-tower
The opening of King Charles’ Tower is part of Heritage Open Days 2022 (HODs) – 9th-18th September – England’s largest festival of history and culture where each September thousands of volunteers across England organise events to celebrate history and culture. Visitors can see hidden places and try out new experiences – all of which are FREE to explore.
