Past perfect
ADRIAN CAFFREY and his family find more than just history in the Roman-walled city of Chester...
CHESTER’S famous city walls have been taking their biggest pounding since Oliver Cromwell’s Parliamentarian forces launched an assault during the Civil War.
As the UK was plunged into coronavirus lockdowns, the two-mile long ancient monument became the go-to place for thousands of locals to get their daily dose of exercise.
The most complete city walls in Europe, dating back to
Roman times stood up to the battering well, although in January walkers were stopped in their tracks when one section collapsed.
Blamed on excavation works rather than all the extra footsteps, the slabs and stonework slid into the backyard of the apartments where my family and I stayed at the start of the summer holidays.
Somewhat confusingly named, The Hotel Chester features 12 apartments in a converted office block – all very individually styled with names such as The Zoo and Secret Garden. We stayed in The Treehouse, so called because it’s all recycled wood, not because you have to climb a ladder to get into it.
It was a hit with the kids, who were very excited to be given a key to their own half-size front door, like something out of Alice In Wonderland.
With two en-suite bedrooms, the luxurious apartment featured the biggest sofa and widest TV we’d ever seen.
The Hotel Chester, which opened in the spring, also happens to be very well placed for a fun family weekend.
Less than five minutes away, past the remains of the Roman amphitheatre, is the lovely Grosvenor Park where our kids enjoyed the playground and the miniature railway.
It is also home to a temporary openair theatre which on Saturdays until the end of August is staging Jungle Book. The park slopes down to the River Dee where there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the water, on a cruiser, rowing boat, pedalo or, as we did, a motor boat.
There are plenty more family-friendly attractions in Chester. Kids can paint pottery at Pictura, chill in the children’s library at Storyhouse Theatre or explore the gory history of medicine at the new Sick To Death attraction.
And, with Norman stonework still littering its backyard, The Hotel Chester is, of course, also very handy for the City Walls. They can be accessed from Newgate, which is even closer to the apartments than the amphitheatre.
We did a complete circuit of the walls, discovering the castle, the cathedral, the oldest racecourse in the country, and the ornate Victorian clock above the Eastgate.
Arriving back where we started, we strolled through the Roman Gardens, which display Roman remains unearthed across the city, including parts of the fortress and main baths.
After checking out on Sunday morning we had a quick look around the remarkable streets called The Rows, just around the corner from the hotel.
Like a Middle Ages shopping centre, The Rows are two tiers of retail heaven, with steps up from street level to the galleried shops and restaurants above.
The oldest shopping façade in England, some 13th-century buildings have survived, but many of the impressive facades are Victorian copies.
Chester is also perfectly situated to find fun on the trip home. Chester Zoo is a short drive away, as are the beaches of north Wales and Wirral.
Culture, history and family fun... it’s no wonder Chester has been voted the UK’S best city by a national newspaper.