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A guide to the heritage in and around Edgar's Field, Handbridge, Chester

Edgar's Field is a public park in Chester's southern suburb of Handbridge. It liesimmediately south of the River Dee near to the southern end of the Old DeeBridge.

The park occupies 2¼ acres (approx. 1 hectare) of land. It has a rich history andis home to a Roman shrine to the goddess Minerva. Part of the park is designatedas a Regionally Important Geodiversity Site (RIGS).

It is a place with spectacular views of some of Chester's key heritage featuresincluding the River Dee and its bridges. It is next to Greenway Street - thetraditional home of the local fishing community. Fishing boats can still be seen inthe river from the park.

Edgar's Field is only a short distance from Chester city centre. It can be reachedby crossing the river by the Old Dee Bridge, or alternatively the Queen's ParkSuspension Bridge from The Groves or a more adventurous route via theGrosvenor Bridge. Possible routes are shown on the attached map.

Introductioned

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Chester

City CouncilChester City Council 2007C

Grosvenor Museum Chester Archaeology

Chester History & Heritage Stephen Player

Images courtesy of:

Edgar's Field and the River Dee

Fishing boats in the river

Discover Edgar's Field

Edgar's Field containsheritage features of regional,national and internationalimportance. We hope thatyou enjoy your visit.

When visiting Edgar's Fieldplease:

Be safe - especially asthere are steep dropsfrom the rock outcropsand the nearby river istidal and swift flowing

Leave property as youfind it and help protectthe rich heritage of thissite

Keep dogs under closecontrol

Put litter and other waste inthe appropriate binsprovided, or take it homewith you

Consider other peopleusing the park or in theneighbouring properties.

There are two entrances intothe park - via the Old DeeBridge or Greenway Street.The entrance from the OldDee Bridge is suitable forwheelchair users. Note:there are wheelchairaccessible parking bays inthe Little Roodee Car Parkwhich is reached via CastleDrive.

Greenway Street hascobbled surfaces and,therefore, this entrance maynot be suitable for somewheelchair users.

The pathways in the park aregenerally accessible.However, the area in front ofMinerva's Shrine is grasswith no pathway to themonument and the nearbypath is sloped with arelatively steep gradient.

There is an alternative levelpathway near to the river thatmay be more accessible forwheelchair users and otherswith limited mobility.

This information has beenproduced by Chester CityCouncil with the Friends ofEdgar's Field Park. This isa group of local residentsand other users of the parkwhose aims includeworking with the Councilto:

promote the heritage,education, safe use andenjoyment of the Parkfor all users of all ages

act as a voice for localpeople, residents andvisitors to the Parkregarding its upkeepand its amenities

encourage and to helpresource new facilities,activities and events,which are in keepingwith the Park's historyand traditions.

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Geology and Roman shrine

Pathway along the river

Care &Consideration

Wheelchair AccessFriendsof Edgar's Field

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0.5 milesCrown copyright. All rights reserved. Licence number 100023277c

OS mapping base

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Routes toEdgar's Field

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Edgar's Field

A Gift from a Duke

Named after a King

Home to a Goddess

Edgar's Field was laid out as a public park by the first Duke ofWestminster, Hugh Lupus Grosvenor. He presented it to the City ofChester in 1892 as one of the family's many philanthropic activities.The long established name of the area was Kettle's Croft but thiswas changed to Edgar's Field.

Tradition has it that the field was the site of King Edgar's palace. KingEdgar, the great-grandson of Alfred the Great, was King of Wessexand all England. He was crowned in Bath in 973 although he hadascended the throne in 959. Shortly after his coronation he broughthis fleet to Chester, then an important port. It is thought that he wasrowed up the River Dee by eight British princes to attend a service inSt John's Church. This act symbolised their recognition of Edgar astheir overlord. It is unlikely that Edgar had a palace here but it mayhave been the spot from which he was rowed to St John's.

In the Park is a Roman shrine to the goddess Minerva. She is theRoman equivalent of the Greek goddess Athena. Minerva was thegoddess of wisdom, arts and crafts, and (defensive) war. She is herebecause the site was once a Roman quarry and Minerva would havebeen the patron goddess of those working there. In the Romanworld, Minerva was the daughter of Jupiter. One day Jupiter had aheadache and his head was split open to relieve the pain. Outjumped Minerva as an adult in armour with her shield and spear.

Duke, King and Goddess

The Park and the River Dee Hugh Lupus Grosvenor

King Edgar on the Dee

Minerva's Shrine in 1829

Edgar's Field

From Sand to Sandstone

Roman Raw Material

Within the park are two large rock outcrops where sandstone isclearly exposed. These rocks were laid down as sandy sediments inthe Triassic period (some 250 million years ago). Then 'Chester' wasat the same latitude as the present day Sahara. The sequence isknown as the Chester Pebble Beds, although in Edgar's Fieldpebbles are rare. The sandy material was deposited by a largebraided river (with numerous shifting channels) flowing through adesert landscape. It has since been compacted into the sedimentaryrock sandstone - typically stained red by iron oxide. Over thisimmense span of time Chester's location has very slowly movednorth through the process of continental drift.

Edgar's Field was once a Roman quarry. The Romans foundedChester as the legionary fortress around 70AD. It was to betheir largest fortress in Britain and was occupied by them until theend of the 4th century. The vast quantity of stone needed to build thefortress walls and buildings was quarried from sites such as Edgar'sField. Local stone was used to avoid the difficulties of transportingheavy and bulky material over longer distances. The Romanquarrymen would have used wooden wedges and hammers toextract the rock. Although Edgar's Field may also have been quarriedin later times (such as the Middle Ages), its origins are unmistakeablyRoman because of the presence of the carved shrine to the goddessMinerva.

Deva

Rocks and Romans

Sandstone outcrop with Minerva 'Chester in the Triassic period'

Roman quarrymen at work

Deva's sandstone walls

Stephen Playerc

Edgar's Field

The Dee Runs By

A River of Natural Importance

Geography for a Fortress

The River Dee runs along the northern edge of the park. BetweenHandbridge and the city the river flows through a narrow gap cut intoa sandstone ridge. This gap has been modified from Roman timesbecause of quarrying (not just in Edgar's Field but at other placesalong the riverside) and in later years by embankments along CastleDrive and The Groves.

The Dee is of national and international importance being designatedboth as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a EuropeanSpecial Area of Conservation (SAC). It is notified as a SSSI becauseof its range of river types and as an ecosystem for migratory fish.The section next to Edgar's Field is tidal so that the water levelchanges throughout the day. High tides are able to pass over thenearby weir. One important aspect of both designations is thepresence in the river of the Atlantic Salmon ( ). These fishmigrate from the sea up the Dee to spawn (release their eggs andbreed) in its upper tributaries in Wales. Salmon and other fish werethe basis of the local fishing industry.

The course of the Dee and the presence of the sandstone ridgeprovided a good location for the Romans to build their legionaryfortress . This was named after the local Celtic name of the riverwhich meant 'goddess' or 'holy one'. From this is also derived themodern name of the river ... the 'Dee'.

Salmo salar

Deva

A Riverside Setting

River Dee next to Edgar's Field

Deva and the river

Edgar's Field c1911

Heritage Features

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Features in the park Edgar's Field

There are two large blocks of rock that have been left standing andnot removed by the quarrying operations in Edgar's Field. Theiroverall red colour is caused by iron oxide. Many Chester buildingsare built of, or incorporate, such red sandstone. The exposed verticalface of the outcrop nearest to the river, in particular, shows a numberof geological structures including:

These are sequences of thin layers of rock at obvious angles with theset of layers above at different angles to the set below. This structurereflects the manner of the deposition of the sediment in sand bars inthe prehistoric braided (multiple channel) river. When the riverchannels moved, the bars changed position to give these differentangles.

Here the rock is wavy and distorted. This structure is caused by thecollapse of soft wet sediments so that different layers becomebuckled.

Weathering is the natural process (for example, due to water andfrost) by which rock is broken into fragments. This process returnssandstone into sand. Differential weathering occurs when differentlayers of rock are worn away at different rates because some layersare softer and therefore more easily weathered than others.

Cross Bedding

Slumping

Differential Weathering

Rock OutcropsR

Cross Bedding

Sandstone outcrop

Slumping

Differential weathering

Features in the park Edgar's Field

On the sandstone outcrop towards the centre of the park is theRoman Shrine to the goddess Minerva. It is carved into the rock faceand is now the only monument of its kind in Western Europe thatremains in its original location.

Minerva was the Roman goddess of war, knowledge, learning,craftsmanship and the arts. She would, therefore, have been seen asan important protector of the Romans working in the quarry.

The carving has weathered over time so that the figure of thegoddess is now only a faint outline. Also, it has been subject to somepretty harsh treatment over the years. This has included it beingaccidentally hit by practice rifle shooting during the Second WorldWar, for which it still bears pit marks. It is said that the shrine mightonly have survived the Middle Ages because it was thought to be animage of the Virgin Mary.

In Roman times Minerva's characteristic warlike clothing with helmet,spear and shield together with her symbol of an owl would have beenvery obvious and probably painted. Offerings would have been leftat the shrine to gain help and protection - possibly on an altar at itsbase.

Next to the carving is an opening into the rock face. This is possibly anatural fissure that was enlarged after the shrine was cut. It is nowknown as 'Edgar's Cave'.

Minerva's Shrine

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The shrine today

Close-up of the shrine todayMinerva in Roman times

Pit mark from accidental rifle shot

Stephen Playerc

Features viewed from the park Edgar's Field

Handbridge is the name of this road as well as the suburb (originallya village). Its name appears to be derived from the Old English forbridge (bruge) at a rock (hane). The reference to rock may indeed berelated to the nearby outcrops in Edgar's Field, or possibly the rockynature of the riverbed at this point. For centuries it was the main roadconnecting Chester to North Wales.

Handbridge

The red sandstone tower belongs to St Mary-Within-the-Walls. Achurch here dates from Norman times and has been closelyassociated with Chester Castle. It was badly damaged during thesiege of Chester in the Civil War (1646). The building, including thetower, was restored in the mid 19th century by James Harrison. It isnow used as a centre for conferences and meetings.

St Mary-Within-the-Walls

The imposing red sandstone tower and spire belong to Chester'sother St Mary's... St Mary-Without-the-Walls. This church was built in1887 at the expense of the 1st Duke of Westminster. When opened itreplaced St Mary-Within-the-Walls as the parish church. It stands onthe hill on the opposite bank of the river in Handbridge and istherefore outside the city walls.

St Mary-Without-the-Walls

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Handbridge in 1852

St Mary's - late 19th Century

St Mary's early 1900's

Features viewed from the park Edgar's Field

This 14th century sandstone bridge replaced earlier timber bridgesand stands near the site of the original Roman bridge. Until 1832,when the Grosvenor Bridge was opened, it was the lowest bridgingpoint on the River Dee providing the crossing to North Wales. Therewas once a gatehouse with a drawbridge at the Handbridge end ofthe bridge instead of the present (seventh) stone arch.

Old Dee Bridge

The weir can be seen through the arches of the bridge. It was built bythe Normans to direct water to a waterwheel that powered a corn millon the city side of the river. Also, fish congregated below the weirmaking conditions ideal for fishing. In the early 20th century a seriesof broad steps were built alongside it to help migrating salmon pass itat low water.

Weir

Built in 1913, it is thought to have been the first hydro-electric stationsupplying an English city. It used the head of water created by theweir to generate electricity as it passed through turbines. Previouslythis was the site of the water-powered Dee Mills (corn) which weredemolished in 1910. Since 1951 the building has been used as awater supply pumping station.

Hydro-Electric Power Station

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Former gatehouse

Weir in the 19th century

Dee Mills in 1851

Features viewed from the park Edgar's Field

This cream-grey sandstone classical arch dates from 1781. Itreplaced the former medieval gothic Bridgegate (with a 17th centurywater supply tower). This gateway leads to the bridge - hence itsname Bridgegate. It has, however, also been known as the SouthGate, reflecting its position in the city walls, or Welsh Gate since itprovided access (via the bridge) to North Wales.

Bridgegate

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Medieval Bridgegate in the C18th

Beyond the Old Dee Bridge is the Church of St John the Baptist onhigh ground above the river. It was to this important Saxon Minsterthat King Edgar was rowed up the Dee in 973. Its interior is largelyNorman but its present exterior is mostly Victorian. It once had a tallwest tower but this fell down in 1881 and the stone used to embankpart of The Groves.

St John's Church

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St John's with west tower 1749

The area below the weir and around the Old Dee Bridge is known asthe King's Pool. Before the earldom of Chester passed to the Crownin 1237 it was called the Earl's Pool. It was here that an importantfishery developed since fish could only pass over the weir at hightide. After the Norman Conquest all fishing had been under thecontrol of the Earl of Chester.

King's Pool

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Fishing in the King's Pool 1930s

Features viewed from the park Edgar's Field

This area was greatly modified in 1901 when the tree-lined CastleDrive was laid out. The section seen from Edgar's Field was formerlya very different place as Skinners Lane. From medieval times up tothe late 18th century it was an industrial area with skinners and atone time an acid works. There had also been an importantanchorage here, below the Castle, since the arrival of the Normans.

Castle Drive

Completed in 1957, this building houses Cheshire County Council. Itoccupies the site of the former County Gaol built by Thomas Harrison(opened 1793, demolished 1902) to replace the gaol in the castlewhich had been compared by the prison reformer, John Howard, tothe 'Black Hole of Calcutta'. Here for a few yards is the only truebreak in the otherwise complete circuit of city walls around Chester.

County Hall

Chester Castle is probably best seen from Edgar's Field during thewinter when the trees are not in leaf. During this time, one of the fewremaining medieval structures can be seen - the red sandstoneAgricola Tower. The Castle was founded by William the Conqueror in1070. It was the stronghold of the Earls of Chester and the base formilitary campaigns including Edward I's conquest of Wales.

Chester Castle

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Skinner's Lane - early C19th

County Gaol - late 19th century

Chester Castle in 1749

Features viewed from the park Edgar's Field

When opened in 1832 by Princess Victoria this elegant bridge hadthe widest single stone span (61m) in the world. It was designed byChester's Georgian architect Thomas Harrison as part of the roadimprovements to Holyhead. He died in 1829 before it was completed.It is constructed of creamy-grey sandstone from the Peckforton Hillsto the south of Chester.

Grosvenor Bridge

This cobbled street is the traditional home of Chester's fishingcommunity. Once known as Sty or Stile Lane, its current name maybe after Joseph Greenway who rented the salmon cage (a piece ofequipment for catching salmon) in the 1840s. The river below theweir was an important fishery up to the 20th century. At one time theriverside here would have had fishing nets hung out to dry.

Greenway Street

This road leads to a house called 'Nowhere'. Its name may arise fromits one-time use as an after hours drinking den. When wives askedtheir husbands when they returned home late and drunk where theyhad been they would answer 'nowhere'. Local folklore claims that itinspired the Beatles song 'Nowhere Man' after the band heard of itduring a visit to Chester in the early 1960s.

Road to 'Nowhere'

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Under construction

Greenway St - early C19th

Nets along the 'road' in 1857

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