Gazetteer of
British Place Names

Chester Castle is a mediæval castle, together with neoclassical buildings designed by Thomas Harrison, situated on an eminence overlooking the River Dee in Chester, Cheshire. The castle was built in 1070 by Hugh d'Avranches, the second Earl of Chester, possibly on the site of an earlier Saxon fortification. It was expanded into a stone castle in the 12th and 13th centuries. Following the Civil War the castle was used as a prison, a court and a tax office. In the later part of the 18th century Thomas Harrison was commissioned to design a new prison. Harrison also rebuilt the mediæval Shire Hall in neoclassical style. He also built two new wings, one to act as barracks, the other as an armoury, and designed a massive new entrance to the castle site, styled the Propylaeum. Pevsner commented that Harrison's work constitutes "one of the most powerful monuments of the Greek Revival in the whole of England". The castle is within the council area of Cheshire West and Chester.
Historic England Scheduled Monument 1006773.

Place Type: Mediæval Castle
Historic County: Cheshire
Lat, Long: 53.185293,-2.8931878
Grid Reference: SJ 4041 6572
Civil Parish: Chester Castle CP
Council Area: Cheshire West and Chester CA
Police Area: Cheshire PA

GBPN ID: 304898
Entry Type: Main listing (P)
URL: https://gazetteer.org.uk/place/Chester_Castle,_Cheshire_304898

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