This fascinating historic photograph captures Eastgate in Chester before the installation of the famous Eastgate Clock, giving us a rare glimpse of one of the city’s most recognisable location in a very different form.
The stone bridge seen crossing Eastgate was constructed in 1768–69, replacing the much older medieval Eastgate that had previously guarded the eastern entrance to the city. The gateway itself has an even longer history: Eastgate occupies approximately the position of the eastern entrance to the Roman legionary fortress of Deva Victrix, meaning people have been passing through this point for almost 2,000 years.
By the eighteenth century, Chester’s medieval gateway had become an obstruction to increasing road traffic. It was demolished and replaced by the elegant sandstone arch shown in the photograph, allowing the City Walls walkway to continue across Eastgate while providing a much wider passage beneath.
What makes this photograph particularly interesting is what is missing.
There is no Eastgate Clock.
An enhanced and colourised image of Eastgate Chester 
The clock was created as a memorial to Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee of 1897 and was erected above the bridge in 1899. Designed by renowned Chester architect John Douglas, its elaborate ironwork would eventually transform the relatively simple bridge seen here into one of Chester’s most famous landmarks.
The photograph records Eastgate during the long period between the construction of the bridge in 1769 and the arrival of the clock in 1899.
There are many wonderful details to explore: the cobbled street, tracks running along the roadway, ornate Victorian street lamps, the Rows and historic buildings lining Eastgate. The absence of modern traffic and street furniture also provides an unusually clear view through the arch towards the heart of the city.
An enhanced image of Eastgate Chester pre-clock 
Today it is almost impossible to imagine Eastgate without its clock dominating the skyline. This photograph is therefore a wonderful reminder that the bridge itself predates the clock by around 130 years — and that Eastgate’s history stretches back much further still, all the way to Roman Chester.
The photograph shows an enhanced colourised image of Egerton House, Upper Northgate Street, which was an important Georgian building which was demolished to make way for the new Northgate Roundabout on the Ring Road
The Durham Ox once stood at 37 Tower Street, Newton, on the junction with Pitt Street and Wellington Street. The pub and the surrounding streets have since disappeared, with the site now lying beneath St Oswald’s Way, which forms part of Chester’s Inner Ring Road.
A enhanced image of Durham Ox, Pitt Street, Chester
This rare photograph which has been enhanced and colourised of St Michael’s Arcade in Chester was taken in 1910 by the late Frank Simpson, just as the finishing touches were being made to its striking new façade.
The property belonged to the 2nd Duke of Westminster and had been redesigned by local architect W. T. Lockwood. Lockwood created an elaborate frontage faced in distinctive white Doulton ware, giving the building an appearance very different from Chester’s more traditional architecture.
Enhanced & Colourised Image
The design proved highly controversial. According to Frank Simpson, its style was considered so out of keeping with local architecture that it prompted considerable correspondence and criticism in the local press.
The controversy ultimately contributed to a remarkable decision. On Friday, 10 March 1911, the Duke of Westminster ordered the white façade to be removed and replaced with a more traditional half-timbered frontage, better suited to Chester’s historic streetscape.
The decision was acted upon with extraordinary speed. Just ten days later, on 20 March 1911, scaffolding was erected once again and work began to dismantle the newly completed white frontage.
Below is a colourised enhanced image of the interior of one of the original Chester trams. This particular image is taken from inside car 14 as it was delivered with its original fittings which included dark blue curtains. The finish inside was teak and if you notice the leather strap hangers and the pear shaped glass globes on the lamps
An enhanced image of the interior of car 14 of an original Chester tram 
The enhanced colourise picture shows one of the horse drawn trams being pulled along a single tram line by two horses instead of the usual single horse, you can see the Eastgate clock in the background which says the photograph was taken some time after 1897
An Enhanced colourised image of a horse drawn tram in Eastgate Street Chester 
The Swan Hotel, a historic establishment on Foregate Street in Chester, has a rich history dating back to the mid-16th century. Its journey reflects the evolution of English inns and public houses.
Originally purchased in 1557 by John Deane, a canon of Lincoln Cathedral, the property had previously belonged to the Fraternity of St Anne. During the Dissolution of the Monasteries, it passed to the Crown. By the early 1600s, it had become a working inn, serving travellers on Foregate Street.
Enhanced Image – The Swan Hotel, Foregate Street, Chester
However, during the English Civil War, the inn was destroyed by Royalist defenders who burned outlying properties to deny shelter to Parliamentary troops. Despite this setback, it was rebuilt and continued as a coaching inn.
In the 18th and early 19th centuries, The Swan flourished as a coaching inn, benefiting from its strategic location on the London to Holyhead route. In the early 1700s, it underwent a Georgian reconstruction, featuring a three-storey red-brick façade and a Dutch-style gable. The inn offered lodging, stabling, and food for both travellers and locals, and was known by various names, including The Swan Inn and The Swan Vaults.
The Swan Hotel underwent significant changes throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. By the late 19th century, it had become a well-established public house. In 1923, the Northgate Brewery Company of Chester purchased it, further solidifying its place in the city’s brewing and social scene.
In the mid-20th century, the hotel gained popularity under the landlord Eddie Davies. It became known for its lively atmosphere, especially during World War II when American soldiers stationed nearby were frequent patrons. Davies kept several parrots in the bar, one of which was reportedly trained to swear at guests, adding to the inn’s colourful reputation.
However, after thriving through the post-war period, The Swan Hotel began to decline in the 1970s. It was sold and closed, and in the late 1970s, it was demolished as part of a redevelopment of the area. The site it occupied—Nos. 52–60 Foregate Street—is now home to Primark and other modern retail units, erasing any visible trace of the historic building.
The Ermine, a Roman road segment, played a crucial role in an ancient transit route from Deva (Roman Chester) to Warrington and beyond. From the 14th century, it evolved into a coaching route called Hoole Road, with the Ermine as a vital staging point for travellers.
In the 20th century, the Ermine continued to serve the community. In the early 1900s, it had extensive stabling and acted as an auction mart, especially busy during the Cheshire Yeomanry Cavalry’s annual training.
Enhanced Image – The Ermine Hotel, Hoole Road, Chester
The Ermine underwent several renovations and rebrandings over the years. In the mid-century, it became a “Bent’s Ermine Hotel,” while in the 1960s, it was transformed into a modern pub.
In February 2004, it closed as a hotel and reopened as The Flookersbrook, inspired by the local stream.
Under the Flookersbrook name, it became a rock venue called “Brooker’s Bar,” but it struggled. In 2012, it was criticised for poor beer and uninspired interiors, leading to its closure in early 2013.
It briefly reopened in 2014 under new ownership and was relaunched as The Ermine Sports Bar by late 2014.
The pub boasts Tudor-style black-and-white façades, a hallmark of Chester’s 16th and 17th-century buildings. The current building dates back to 1503, showcasing its deep heritage and a significant rebuild in 1939.
The enhanced photograph below shows the building’s Tudor revival front before its 1939 remodel, as it was known as The Queens Head Vaults
Enhanced Image, The Queens Head Vaults, Foregate Street, Chester
The 1939 renovation retained Tudor characteristics, blending heritage with structural renewal. Situated among Chester’s historically rich, timber-framed streetscape, it complements many listed buildings clustered around Foregate Street. As a continuing piece of Chester’s public-house tapestry, it carries on a tradition of community gathering that spans centuries.
In the early part of the 19th century, the Chester historian Hemingway made a record of some of the executions that had taken place at Chester between 1554 and 1829. The following list has been left in Hemingway’s own words,
Enhanced Image – Northgate Gaol, Chester
1658 – A woman burnt at Boughton for poisoning her husband.
1689 – John Taylor, gaoler of the castle, for murder of Mr. Hockenhaff, a prisoner in his custody tor recusancy (refusal to attend Church of England church services).
1692 – William Geaton, servant to High bishop of Chester, for the murder of James Findlove, s Scottish peddler, his body was hung in chains on Groppenhall (Grappenhall) Heath
1601 – A women named Candy, executed for conspiring to murder her husband; her paramour, Boon, refusing to plead, was pressed to death in the castle.
1602 – One Arnet, servant to a Mr. Manley, of Saltney side, hung for murdering his fellow servant.
1654 – Sir Timothy Fetherstone, shot in the corn-market of Chester, by order of the Parliament.
1760 – Two Irishmen executed, and gibbeted on the Parkgate Road, near the Two Mills for murder.
1768 – Three men hung: the rope of one of them broke, when lifting up his cap. He exclaimed in horrible agitation, “My God What am I to suffer?”
1776 – Execution of James Knight, for burglary at Odd Rode. Christopher Lawless, Isaac Hutchinson, Alexander Solomon, and Isaac Josephs executed for robbing the shop of Mr. Pemberton, jeweler. They were buried behind the Roodee-cop, opposite Overleigh.
1777 – S. Thoriey, executed for the horrible murder of Ann Smith, a ballad-singer, near Congleton. After cutting off her head, he severed her legs and arms from her body. Which he threw into a brook! Part, however, he actually broiled and ate! He was hung in chains on the heath, near Congleton.
1779 – William Ellis for burglary, and William Loom, discharging a loaded pistol at Charles Warren, of Congleton, executed at Boughton.
1779 – Sarah Jones, executed for stealing 28 yards of chintz, from the shop of Mr. Meacock, at Chester.
1783 – Resolution Heap, and Martha Brown; the former a burglary at Whaley; the latter for a similar offence at Over.
1784 – Elizabeth Wood, hung for poisoning James Sinister, at Bredbury. John Oakes, hung for coining (forging).
1766 – Executions of Peter Steers, for the murder of his wife, by poison. Edward Holt, for a burglary at Knutsford. Thomas Buckley, age 20, for a burglary at Chester. Thomas Hyde, aged 35. For horse stealing. James Buckley, aged 22, for a burglary in Mrs. Lloyd’s house in Newgate Street, Chester
1789 – Thomas Mate, for the murder of John Parry, a constable, in Handbridge. He was 64 years old, and when at the gallows, he charged his wife, 70 years with infidelity
1790 – John Dean, from Stockport, for the most brutal murder of his wife, who was seven months advanced in her pregnancy. He was hung m chains on Stockport Moor
1791 – Execution of Lowndes, for robbing the Warrington mail. His prosecution, it is said cost £2 000. He was hung in chains on Helsby Hill; but the gibbet pole was in short time after cut down by some people in the neighborhood, and was not again erected, Allen Aston, and Knox, for burglary at Northern. Upon this occasion, the fatal tree was removed from Gallows hill to the opposite side of the road, where it remained until 1801 when the place of execution was finally removed within the walls of the city.
1796 – Thomas Brown and James Price, for robbing the Warrington mail. They were hung in chains on Trafford-green, and remained there till 1820, when the pole was taken down, the place having been previously enclosed. In the skull of Price was found a robin’s nest.
1798 – John Thornhill, for the murder of his sweetheart, Sarah Malone, at Lymm. Peter Martin, alias Joseph Lowther, for firing at a boat’s crew of the Actaon, in the Mersey, when employed on the impress service.
1800 – Thomas Bosworth, for forgery, and Alexander Morton, for felony. Mary Lloyd for forgery at Stockport.
1801 – Thompson, Morgan, and Clare, for burglaries. When near the gallows, Clare Made a spring from the cart, rushed through the crowd, which made way for him, rolled Down a gutter-way towards the Dee a rapid descent and plunged into the river. He Was drowned, having immediately sunk, from the weight of his chains, but the body Was found, and afterwards hung up with the others, the other two malefactors beingKept in the cart in the interval. These were the last criminals hung at Boughton, which Had been the place of execution for some centuries.
(Above: Gallows Hill, On The Banks Of The River Dee, Chester)
1801 – Aaron Gee & Thomas Gibson, hung out of a temporary window way in the attics, on the south side of the old Northgate, a building now not in existence. The unfortunate men were men were propelled from the window about five feet (about 1 1/2 meters) and dropped nearly forty inches (just over one meter), their bodies beating against the window below, so as to break the glass
1809 – Execution of George Clover & William Proudlove, in front of the house of correction for shooting at an officer of excise at Odd Rode. When the drop sunk the drops broke, and the poor men fell to the platform, half strangled; new ropes were procured and the sentence was carried into effect about half an hour after the incident.
1810 – Execution of John Done, for the murder of Betty Eckersly, a woman of bad character at Lymm. He denied the offence to his last moment. Executions of Smith & Clark for burglary & felony in the shop of Mr. Fletcher, a watchmaker. East Gate. The conduct of Smith on the drop was exceedingly unbending and audacious, and the night before his execution he played at cards with some of his companions. They were bulled in St. Martin’s churchyard.
1812 – Temple and Thompson for rioting. They were connected with the Luddites. Execution of John Lomas, for the murder of Ms master. Mr. Money, of Hankelow.
1813- Edith Munat. Executed for the murder of her husband. She was tried with Lomas, and with him found guilty on the clearest testimony, immediately after Conviction she pleaded pregnancy, and a jury of matrons being impaneled. She was Pronounced quick with child, and her sentence of course respited till her delivery. It Appeared that an illicit intercourse had for some time existed between her and Lomas, Which led her to exciting him to destroy her husband, and the crime was perpetrated With circumstances of peculiarly savage atrocity.
1813 – Execution of William Wilkinson, James Yarwood, and William Burgess, for rape on Mary Porter, near Weston Point. They were flat-men (flatboats are a type of boat), and when Wilkinson (a tine stout man about six feet high) mounted the scaffold, he exclaimed to his companions, “Keep your spirits; never mind, my lads we are all murdered men; I’m just as happy as if I was going to a play!” and when the halter was placed round his neck, he added, “My new handkerchief fits me nice and tight”
1814 – William Wilson, an old sailor, in Ms. 70th year, executed for arson, at Tiverton, near Tarporley. His exit was most extraordinary: on the morning of Ms. death he entertained a number of persons in the parlor to the constables house, with an account of his naval exploits; and in his way along the streets to the city gaol he chewed bread in his mouth, and threw it at the beadle, observing he was like Peeping Tom at Coventry On the drop he said, “What a many people are here to see an old man hung; here’s as much fuss as it there were a hundred to be hanged.
1815 – Execution of Griffith and Wood, for burglary in the house of John Holme, near
1817 – Execution of Joseph Allen, for uttering bank of England notes to a large amount, in a declaration on the morning of the execution he said he had been wrongly accused, and that he did not know good notes from bad ones. For six days alter condemnation, he took no other refreshment than water.
1819 – Joseph Walker, for robbing his former master on the highway between Northwich & Manchester, He denied his guilt until the last. Sam Hooley & John Johnson (a man of colour) for burglary at Bowden
Enhanced Image – The Bridge Of Sighs, Chester
1820 – Jacob McGhinnes, for shooting Mr. Birch, at Stockport. He was connected with the radical reformers, and his intention was to have shot Mr. Lloyd, then solicitor of the town, and now notable prothonotary of the county court. The unfortunate man had not only embraced the politics both the theology of Tom Pain, but during his confinement and before his execution, he was brought to embrace the Christian system and died with great composure. Thomas Miller, for a burglary at Bowden. Ralph Eills, for a burglary at Elton And William Ricklington, for setting fire to the rectory house at Coddington
1821 – Execution of Samuel Healey, for highway robbery at Stockport.
1822 – William Tongue for rape on an infant, and George Groom for a highway robberv on a man named Joseph Kennedy. Thomas Briefly, for highway robbery near Congleton.
1823 – Execution of Samuel Fallows, for the murder of his sweetheart. Several galvanic experiments were made on his body previous to dissection. Execution of John Kragon, for rape of an infant at Stockport. Execution of Edward Clark, for a highway robbery at Stockport.
1824 – Joseph Dale, for the murder of Mr. Wood, near Disley. He had been convicted at the preceding assizes, but execution deferred, in order to take the opinion on a point of law urged in his favour by Mr. D.F. Jones, his counsel. He died with great composure.
1826 – Philip McGowan, for the robbery of Mr. Marsden, a gentleman of upwards of seventy years of age, near Cow Lane-bridge, under circumstances of great violence. On this melancholy occasion, the apparatus for execution, was removed from the east to the west end of the city gaol, where these melancholy spectacles have ever since been exhibited. John Green, for burglary.
1829 – John Proudlove, for highway robbery, and John Leir, for burglary in the house of the Rev. Matthew Bloor, attended with aggravated circumstances of violence. Joseph Woodhouse, for a rape on his own daughter; and Joseph Henshall, for firing a gun at the keepers, while poaching in the ground of the Earl of Stamford and Warrington.
From Chester Observer – 1940, with Enhanced Images, I have created
AIR RAID – CHESTER PUBLIC SHELTERS
In the event of air raids it is imperative that the public should co-operate with the authorities and carry out implicitly the instructions. The public should make themselves fully acquainted with the nearest public shelter, and with the quickest ways to reach it. School shelters will not be available for the public.
The detailed list of public shelters in Chester is as follows:—
Brook Lane—Two trenches opposite the end of Liverpool-road (accommodation for 200).
Boughton—One trench near the end of Hoole-lane (100); one trench opposite Richmond House (60).
Christleton Road—One trench alongside the Peacock Hotel (100).
Crook Street—One trench at the rear of the City Mission Hall (150).
Delamere Street—One trench in the grounds of the Church of Christ (100).
Grosvenor Park—Two trenches close to the Dee-lane entrance (200).
Handbridge—One trench in Edgar Park (150).
Enhanced Image – Manor House Air Raid Shelter, Queens Park, Handbridge, Chester – Circa 1940
Hough Green—One trench near the junction of Cliveden-road (100); one trench in grounds of Montrose House, opposite St. Mark’s-road (150).
Milton Street—One trench at rear of the Bowling Green Hotel and opposite the Gaumont Car Park (150).
Additional Shelters are also provided at:
Bridge Street. Michael’s Row (475).
City Road—Queen Hotel (100), Royalty Theatre (75).
Eastgate-street—Grosvenor Hotel. Entrance through Newgate-street (100).
Foregate Street—Blossoms Hotel. Entrance through St. John-street (350). Co-operative Stores. Entrance in Love-street (200). Open during business hours. Old Bank Buildings (120); Tatler Cinema (200). Not open on Sundays. Wallace Wainwright’s (120).
Grosvenor Street—Grosvenor Museum (80).
Lower Bridge Street—Oddfellows’ Hall (140).
Northgate Street—Northgate Brewery (250). The Cathedral (650).
Enhanced Image – Air Raid Shelter, Northgate Street – Circa 1940
Sandy Lane—Dee Banks House (90).
St. James’s Street—Co-operative Stores, corner of Black Diamond-street (120). Open during business hours.
St. Werburgh-Street—Quinaways Garage (120).
Vicar’s Lane—St. John Crypt (120).
Watergate Street—No. 68. Entrance in Trinity-street (350).
The Highfield, a large estate pub in Blacon, Chester, served the predominantly council-built suburb developed in the 1950s and 60s. It became a key social hub, alongside pubs like the Waggon & Horses.
Enhanced Image – The Highfield, Blacon, Chester
The Highfield permanently closed on January 1, 2013. It was subsequently demolished in March 2017.
After its closure, ownership changed, and Sanctuary Housing acquired the pub to replace it with affordable housing for over-55s. However, this project required community consultations and planning. The demolition in early April 2017 cleared the site, leaving Blacon’s only pub as the Waggon & Horses.
Cow Lane Bridge, designated as Bridge No. 123E on the Shropshire Union Canal, was originally part of the older Chester Canal, which opened in 1779. It was later incorporated into Thomas Telford’s Union network in 1835. The name “Cow Lane Bridge” comes from the cattle market that historically operated nearby, before Frodsham Street took over its route.
Enhanced Image – Cow Lane Bridge
A bridge has crossed the canal at this location since the early 19th century. The original structure, built in the mid-1800s, was designed to support lighter traffic. In February 1959, a major reconstruction was undertaken, using massive concrete beams weighing up to 12 tonnes. This 14-month project reflected the growing vehicle loads on Frodsham Street and largely dates from 1959. The current bridge carries modern road traffic across the canal, replacing its 19th-century predecessor.
The Cow Lane Bridge forms part of the canalside corridor that runs from Brook Street to Tarvin Road. This area has undergone significant industrial, residential, and leisure development over centuries. Nearby, the Lead Works, established in 1799, featured a listed Shot Tower. Various support industries and housing were also located alongside the canal. In the past, canal-side wharves and loading docks existed adjacent to the bridge, facilitating trade and market activity.
The Red Lion Inn in Handbridge, Chester, has a long history.
A 15th-century record mentions an “ale hous” on the site, suggesting its early existence. In 1441, a notable brawl led to fines and a woman being sent to a house of correction. Some maps even date an inn called the “Red Lyon” there as early as 1737.
The current pub, an Edwardian structure built in the early 1900s, exudes elegance with its brick façade, covered doorways, porcelain-tiled porch, and distinctive interior features. A large wooden bar, leather-effect seating, exposed boards, a cosy snug with a real fire, and a games area all contribute to its charm. Major remodelling in 1925 added the present frontage.
Enhance Image – The Red Lion Circa 1920’s
Throughout the 20th century, the Red Lion was owned by various landlords. Thomas Miley, formerly of the Fox & Barrel, served as the landlord from 1914 to 1934. His family, including his daughter Annie Margaret Sims, ran the pub during World War I, billeting soldiers and creating local lore.
One account mentions Em Humphries, who may have been a long-serving landlady who continued to run the pub into the 1970s.
After a brief closure, the Red Lion underwent restoration and was re-opened around 2007. This revival breathed new life into the pub and restored its place in the Handbridge community. Today, it’s cherished as a dog-friendly local, offering indoor comfort, a generous beer garden, live sports, and an enviable reputation for its friendly atmosphere and quality beer.
The Red Lion, a Grade II listed pub, likely dates from the 18th century. Originally an inn, it evolved into an L-shaped pub with three storeys, rendered brick, and a Welsh slate roof. It served as a coaching inn on Church and High Streets in Tarvin, reflecting its importance as a staging point after the founding of nearby turnpikes in the late 1700s. Local maps from the 18th century mention its earliest name, “The Red Lyon,” and physical customs like skirmishes recorded during the 1845 Irish-English labourer unrest.
Enhanced Image – The Red Lion, High Street, Tarvin
The pub showcases etched-glass panels advertising the now-defunct Chester Northgate Brewery, highlighting its local brewing ties. It features inglenook fireplaces, snug rooms, and a bar, lounge/snug, and games room. Today, it operates as a traditional pub with live sports screenings, pool, darts, and dominoes. It also offers four ensuite letting rooms, continuing its tradition of hosting travellers. As a listed building and community asset, it stands at the heart of Tarvin’s Conservation Area among 27 heritage buildings in the village.
The Universal Inn, a Bent’s Brewery-owned pub known as “Bent’s house”, was located at 71 Boughton, on the corner of Victor Street. It stood at one end of a terrace that also included its neighbour, the Cheshire Sheaf, which was demolished in the mid-20th century. Both the Universal and the Cheshire Sheaf were demolished to make way for a petrol station, which was later removed to pave the way for redevelopment, resulting in the large Waitrose-anchored Boughton Retail Park, which opened in 2014.
Enhanced Image – The Universal Inn, Victor Street, Boughton, Chester
Built in the early-mid 17th century, the Boot Inn first opened as a public house in 1643. It sits within Chester’s iconic Rows—medieval elevated walkways—above a stone undercroft on street level and features half-timbered upper stories. Officially designated a Grade-II* listed building, it is recognised as both a street-level shop and the pub on the Row above. The front façade was rebuilt and restored in the late 19th century, preserving its timeless timber-framed charm.
Though operating as a tavern since 1643, it has been known specifically as the Boot Inn from at least 1750 onwards. The Grade-II listing highlights a carved-bracket jettied top storey, a striking five-light mullioned and transomed oriel window, a carved tie-beam, a decorative gable with herringbone studding, and ornate bargeboards and finials. Internally, the pub retains original beams, fireplaces, flagstone floors, and a display of traditional wattle-and-daub construction, tapestry, and even an iron chandelier. Highlights include the rear parlour with its cooking range and settle seating, as well as the historic “Eastgate Room” once accessible to the public but now out of use.Nestled within Eastgate Row—a stretch once known as Dark Row—the Boot Inn marks the eastern boundary where the enclosed medieval alley opens into modern thoroughfares. Its location, just beneath the famed Eastgate Clock, places it among Chester’s most photographed and historically rich streets. Local legend ties the Inn to a phantom beggar from the 15th century, allegedly seen clutching a wooden peg by the Rows, and a “singing maid” said to hum near the old cellar—a testament to its deep-rooted folklore. (These stories stem from oral traditions and modern retellings.) The Boot Inn continues to operate as a Samuel Smith’s pub, enforcing its traditional ethos with a no-phones, no-swearing policy. It offers real ales like Old Brewery Bitter and local bottled beers. Since a 1988 makeover, the entire Row-level space has been open to pub-goers, no longer split with a barber’s shop as in earlier years.
The Queen’s Head on Seller Street in Chester was a traditional English inn with deep local roots. Located near Chester’s historic canal, it has served locals, travellers, and workers from the surrounding wharves and railway for generations.
Believed to date back to at least the early 19th century, the Queen’s Head was named during the Georgian and Victorian eras, often in tribute to reigning monarchs. Its ideal location on Seller Street attracted barge workers, traders, and railway employees during the Industrial Revolution.
Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the Queen’s Head became a local institution, offering ale, hearty meals, and companionship in an area known for its working-class population. It was a regular stop for travellers and canal boatmen due to its proximity to Chester Station and the Shropshire Union Canal.
During World War II, like many British pubs, the Queen’s Head served as a gathering place for residents coping with the challenges of wartime, providing community spirit and some measure of normalcy amidst the upheaval.
The Queen’s Head boasted a traditional English inn style, with a spacious interior, a cosy bar, and a large dining room. Despite interior modernisations, its exterior had remained faithful to its original form, preserving features like exposed beams and a central bar layout that contribute to its timeless charm.
The Queen’s Head, a historic pub, had endured various changes throughout its past. In the late 20th century, it faced challenges due to social norms shifting and redevelopment pressures. It was demolished to make way for the inner ring road.
The current building on Village Road, founded in 1810, replaced an earlier alehouse called the Red Lion. It was licensed as “The Red Lion” until around 1970, when it adopted the Ring O’ Bells name.
Historical licensees include Simon Hawkins (1789), Elizabeth Catterall (~1818), and Mary Jane Bell (1934). The Christleton pub has its own lineage, with Bob Sadler remembered as landlord in the 1970s.
Enhanced Image – Red Lion Hotel, Christleton
A workplace fire in 1986 led to extensive restoration. In the 2000s, the pub underwent a significant transformation, becoming a restaurant-style country pub with a contemporary extension called the “Glasshouse.”
Since the late 2000s, under ownership by MBT Ring O’ Bells Ltd, the venue has blossomed into an award-winning country pub and restaurant, helmed by Ian Wade. It’s recognised for its family-friendly dining and community initiatives.
The building stands out with its early 19th-century features, including brickwork and a glasshouse extension, alongside the older village surroundings. It was the first in the village to offer event facilities in a dedicated conservatory or Glasshouse, making it popular for gatherings and celebrations.
The Station Hotel, opened around 1882, was conveniently located opposite Mouldsworth Railway Station. Passenger service started in June 1870, making it popular with rail workers and travellers. It featured a bowling green from 1891.
Enhanced Image – The Station Hotel, Moldsworth
In the 1900s, the landlady played a key role in the community by securing a curate for Mass events for Irish labourers. A 1909 extension modernised the frontage, and a 1912 extension created a famous long single-storey bar. By the 1970s, it was rebranded as The Goshawk, shifting from its railway-linked identity.
The Goshawk has been a community hub, attracting local railway and ironworks staff. Around the 1920s, the owner helped establish St Cuthbert’s Church using her staff connections and railway schedules.
Today, The Goshawk remains a central feature of Mouldsworth village life, opposite the railway station where it all began. Despite adapting, it has preserved its character, remaining a beloved gathering place for locals.
From The Twitter Account @the_joe_smoe 
