Celebrating Chester: Celebrating

Chester is famous today for its zoo, as the setting for the soap opera Hollyoaks, its racecourse – the oldest still in use in England – and its historical buildings. Chester was originally a Roman fort, known as Deva, and evidence of the Roman settlement is still visible today, including part of the amphitheatre and a shrine to Minerva. The Saxons extended the Roman city walls to their current position, where they provide an almost complete circuit around the city.

The famous Rows – two levels of half timbered shops, one above the other – were also built at this time although they have been heavily restored over later centuries. The industrial age saw the arrival of the Shropshire Union canal in the city and the wealth brought to the city led to many of its Victorian landmarks being built, including the Town Hall and Grosvenor Museum.

Today, Grosvenor Park is one of the finest Victorian parks in Britain, home to an open air theatre in the summer, and the converted Art Deco Odeon cinema attracts many visitors as the Storyhouse arts centre. Illustrated throughout, this fascinating book offers a marvellous and refreshingly positive insight into Chester’s rich heritage, its special events and important moments. Celebrating Chester will be a valuable contribution to the history of the city and provide a source of many memories to those who have known it well over the years.