Chester Castle Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Chester Castle
Chester Castle
General information
Architectural style	Norman, Neoclassical
Town or city	Chester, Cheshire
Country	England
Coordinates	53°11′07″N 2°53′32″W / 53.1853°N 2.8923°W / 53.1853; -2.8923
Construction started	1070
Completed	1822
Design and construction
Architect	Thomas Harrison

Chester Castle is a historic site in the city of Chester, England. It stands on a hill overlooking the River Dee. The castle complex includes parts of the original medieval castle. It also has newer buildings designed by Thomas Harrison. These were built between 1788 and 1813. Today, some of these newer buildings are used by the Crown Court. Another part is home to the Cheshire Military Museum. Both the museum and the old castle ruins are popular places for tourists to visit.

History of Chester Castle
Chester Castle Today
See also

History of Chester Castle

How the Castle Began

The castle was first built in 1070. It was created by Hugh d'Avranches. He was the second Earl of Chester. It might have been built on an even older Saxon fort. But this is not fully confirmed. The first castle was a motte-and-bailey type. This means it had a mound (motte) with a wooden tower. It also had a fenced area (bailey).

Medieval Changes

In the 12th century, the wooden tower was replaced. A square stone tower, called the Flag Tower, was built instead. Around the same time, a stone gateway was added. This led into the inner part of the castle. Today, this gateway is known as the Agricola Tower. Inside, on the first floor, is the chapel of St Mary de Castro. This chapel has beautiful Norman designs.

The Norman chapel

Later, in the 13th century, during the time of King Henry III, more walls were built. These created an outer bailey. The old gateway in the Agricola Tower was closed off. New living areas were also built. These included a Great Hall along the south wall.

King Edward I's Additions

Even more changes happened later in the 13th century. This was during the reign of King Edward I. A new gateway was built for the outer bailey. This gate had two round towers on its sides. It also had a drawbridge over a moat that was about 26 feet (8 meters) deep. The castle also got new rooms for the King and Queen. A new chapel and stables were added too.

Famous Prisoners

Many important people were held prisoner at Chester Castle. Some were kept in the crypt of the Agricola Tower. These included King Richard II. Also, Eleanor Cobham, who was the wife of a duke, was imprisoned here. Andrew de Moray, a Scottish hero, was also a prisoner.

During the Wars of the Roses, a war between two English families, a man named John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu was captured. He was held at the castle in 1459. He was later set free in 1460. Outside the castle gate was a place called the Gloverstone. Here, criminals waiting for punishment were handed over to the city. The Great Hall was rebuilt in the late 1570s.

Civil War and Later Uses

During the English Civil War, Chester was controlled by the King's supporters. The castle was attacked by Parliament's forces several times. This happened in 1643 and 1645. The castle and city were under siege from September 1645 to February 1646.

After the war, the castle was used for different things. It became a prison, a court, and a tax office. In 1687, King James II attended a church service in the chapel. In 1696, a mint (a place where coins are made) was set up. It was managed by Edmund Halley, a famous astronomer. During the 1745 Jacobite rising, a gun position was built on the wall. This overlooked the river.

Engraving by Buck Brothers of Chester Castle in 1747

New Buildings by Thomas Harrison

By the late 1700s, much of the castle was falling apart. A prison reformer named John Howard criticized the prison conditions. So, Thomas Harrison was hired to design a new prison. It was finished in 1792. People said it was one of the best prisons in the country.

Harrison then rebuilt the old Shire Hall. This was where court cases happened. He designed it in a neoclassical style. He also added two new wings. One was for barracks (soldiers' living quarters). The other was an armoury (a place to store weapons). He also designed a grand new entrance to the castle site. This entrance is called the Propylaeum. All these new buildings were in the neoclassical style. They were built between 1788 and 1822. An architectural expert, Nikolaus Pevsner, said Harrison's work was "one of the most powerful monuments" of the Greek Revival style in England.

Military Use and Modern Times

In 1867, an Irish group tried to take weapons from the castle. The Army later took control of the castle. In 1873, it became a main base for the 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment of Foot. This regiment later became the Cheshire Regiment in 1881.

In 1925, the crypt and chapel in the Agricola Tower were blessed again. They had been used as a warehouse for 200 years. The chapel was refurnished in 1939. The castle remained the main base for the Cheshire Regiment until 1939. Then, the regiment moved to a new location.

Chester Castle Today

Harrison's Propylaeum, the ceremonial entrance to the Castle

You enter the castle complex from Grosvenor Road. You go through the Propylaeum. This is a very important historic building. It has large columns that support a wide top section. On either side are smaller temple-like buildings.

Straight ahead is the former Shire Hall. This building now holds the Crown Courts. It has many windows, and the central part sticks out. It also has large columns. To your left is the old barracks building. This is now home to the Cheshire Military Museum. It also houses an army cadet group. To your right is a building that was once an armoury. Later, it became an officers' mess. Both of these buildings are in the neoclassical style. They are also important historic buildings.

Agricola Tower

Further to the right, you can see the remains of the original Norman castle. The Agricola Tower is a very important historic building. It is made of sandstone and has a metal roof. The ground floor has a blocked-up gateway. Inside, the ground floor is a crypt. The first floor holds the chapel of St Mary Castro. This chapel is still used by the Cheshire Regiment. Its ceiling has old paintings from the early 1200s. These paintings show scenes from the Bible and miracles by the Virgin Mary. They were found during restoration work in the 1990s.

The old castle walls to the south and west are also important. These include the Halfmoon Tower, the Flag Tower, and the gun position. Other walls inside the castle complex are also listed as historic. In the castle courtyard, there is a statue of Queen Victoria. It was made in 1903 by Pomeroy. The inner part of the castle is looked after by the local council. They manage it for English Heritage, a group that protects historic places.

Chester Castle facts for kids

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