Chester Castle

Chester Castle. Seat of power in the North-West. "A noble and stately building having a lower bearing the name of Julius Caesar and a goodly hall where the Palatine Court and Assizes are kept twice a year.", Chester Castle was once a great stone fortress and the seat of power in the North-West. , William the Conqueror built Chester's first castle in 1070 - a timber tower atop an earth mound. During the 12th and 13th centuries the Castle was rebuilt in stone and extended by successive Earls of Chester, who were some of the most powerful nobles in the country. It became the royal base for the conquest of north Wales, and even the meeting place for the Irish Parliament during times of unrest in Ireland., In Norman times Chester Castle was the seat of power of the Earls of Chester. The first earl, Hugh Lupus (Hugh 'the Wolf') held his parliament here. The last Norman earl died in 1237. Since 1301 the earldom has been held by successive Princes of Wales, heirs to the throne, in recognition of Chester's political and military importance., Chester Castle overlooking the River Dee , Chester Castle was built in a prominent position controlling the River Dee, the port of Chester and the road to Wales across the ridge., 18th-century watercolour by Moses Griffith , This watercolour shows the Castle before much of it was demolished after 1788. Today the most significant surviving structures are the 12th-century gate tower called the Agricola Tower, and the Flag Tower, the original stone tower on the motte., Skinners Lane - a dirty, smelly place below the City Walls , This early 19th-century watercolour shows the Castle with the workshops and sheds of Skinners Lane below. Here, the dirty and smelly business of leather-making took place, outside the City Walls and away from the residents.