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Phoenix Tower, Chester
Historic site in Chester, England From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Phoenix Tower stands at the northeast corner of the city walls in Chester, England. The tower is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building.[1] It has also been known as Newton Tower and King Charles' Tower.[2]
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History
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The structure probably originated in the 13th century.[1] During the later part of the 16th century the tower was leased to two city guilds, the Painters and Stationers, and the Barbers and Chandlers, who sublet it to other guilds. By 1612 the fabric of the tower was in a poor condition, and the lead had been lost from its roof. It was restored by the two guilds, and above the door they placed a plaque containing the date 1613 and a carving of a phoenix, the emblem of the Painters. In the Civil War, during the Siege of Chester in 1645, the tower had a gun in each storey, and it was damaged in the conflict.[2] A plaque on the tower states that King Charles I stood on the tower on 24 September 1645 as he watched his soldiers being defeated at the Battle of Rowton Heath.[1] The historian Simon Ward has expressed doubts about this and has suggested that the king may have stood instead on a tower of Chester Cathedral, which he considers is confirmed by evidence that a captain standing beside him was killed by a stray shot.[3]
The guilds resumed possession of the tower in 1658, and repaired it. They ceased possession by about 1773, after which the city carried out repairs. However, by 1838, the tower was described as being in a dilapidated condition. By this time, the city was promoting it as a tourist attraction because of its reputed connection with King Charles. In the late 1850s, the lower chamber was being used by a print-seller, and later in the century the tower was made a private museum.[2]
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Architecture
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The tower is constructed in red coursed sandstone, with a pyramidal slate roof.[1] It stands about 70 feet (21 m) high and is semicircular in plan.[4] The tower is in four stages, the lower two of which are below the walkway on the wall.[1] Each of the upper stages contains a chamber.[4] At the level of the walkway, in the third stage, is a round-headed doorway. Above the doorway is a plaque dated 1613 containing the carved image of a phoenix. An external stairway leads to the upper storey.[1] Internally, the lower chamber is octagonal in plan, with a diameter of about 30 feet (9 m), and it contains five slit windows.[4] Externally, between the upper two stages, is a string course. In the upper stage is a doorway and four three-light leaded casement windows. The top of the tower has a battlemented parapet, lead hip roofs and an ornate weathervane.[1]
170m
185yds
185yds
Cathedral
Castle
Roman
Amphi-
theatre
Amphi-
theatre
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The Walls of Medieval
and Roman Chester
and Roman Chester
Medieval City Walls
The Roman Fortress
Roman Roads
Towers and Gates
Section of Wall
Map of central Chester, showing the line of the city walls and the gates, towers and wall sections of the medieval and post-medieval city.[5]
[Hide/Show the list of Gates, Towers and Wall sections]
1
Bonewaldesthorne's Tower2
Spur Wall and Water Tower3
Wall between Bonewaldesthorne's Tower and Pemberton's Parlour4
Pemberton's Parlour5
Wall between Pemberton's Parlour and St Martin's Gate6
St Martin's Gate7
Wall between St Martin's Gate and Morgan's Mount8
Morgan's Mount9
Wall between Morgan's Mount and Northgate10
Northgate11
Wall between Northgate and Phoenix Tower12
Phoenix Tower13
Wall between Phoenix Tower and Kaleyard Gate14
Kaleyard Gate15
Wall between Kaleyard Gate and Eastgate16
Eastgate17
Wall between Eastgate and Thimbleby's Tower18
Thimbleby's Tower19
Wall between Thimbleby's Tower and Old Newgate20
Old Newgate21
Newgate22
Wall between Newgate and Barnaby's Tower23
Barnaby's Tower24
Wall between Barnaby's Tower and the Drum Tower25
Recorder's Steps26
Drum Tower27
Wall between the Drum Tower and Bridgegate28
Bridgegate29
Wall between Bridgegate and the former County Hall30
Wall between former County Hall and Grosvenor Road31
Wall between Grosvenor Road and Watergate32
Watergate33
Wall between Watergate and Bonewaldesthorne's TowerRemove ads
See also
References
External links
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