Spur Wall and Water Tower
SPUR WALL AND WATER TOWER, CITY WALLS
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1376129
- Date first listed:
- 28-Jul-1955
- List Entry Name:
- Spur Wall and Water Tower
- Statutory Address:
- SPUR WALL AND WATER TOWER, CITY WALLS
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2006-03-01
- Reference:
- IOE01/15145/07
- Rights:
- © Lorna Freeman. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1376129
- Date first listed:
- 28-Jul-1955
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 06-Aug-1998
- List Entry Name:
- Spur Wall and Water Tower
- Statutory Address 1:
- SPUR WALL AND WATER TOWER, CITY WALLS
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- SPUR WALL AND WATER TOWER, CITY WALLS
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Cheshire West and Chester (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- SJ 39997 66544
Details
CHESTER CITY (IM)
SJ4066NW CITY WALLS 595-1/1/101 Spur wall and Water Tower 28/07/55 (Formerly Listed as: City Walls & Towers incl. foundations of SE angle Roman Fortress wall & tower)
GV I
Spur wall from Bonewaldesthorne Tower (qv) to the Water Tower, and the Water Tower. 1322-6. By John Helpstone. Approx 37m long and 3.3m wide. Coursed red sandstone rubble. EXTERIOR: a segmental archway at ground level through the wall. A stone landing at Boneswaldesthorne Tower, a stair totalling 44 stone steps with an intermediate half-landing 6m long leads to the main link to the Water Tower. The parapets to the spur wall have probably the only surviving example of medieval crenellation on the walls; on the half landing crenels were converted to embrasures, probably for cannon during the Civil War. A panel on the north parapet is inscribed INVENIT AUT EXCIT. The Water Tower was built at Chester's expense to command the medieval port, then immediately adjoining, for 100 pounds. Circular with a slightly battered solid lower stage and 2 stages containing chambers; the total height to the crown of the parapet is approx 15m or 50 feet. Loops to the lower chamber; square turret facing City Wall with garderobe at north corner; loops to upper storey; band at rampart level; eroded crenellation. INTERIOR: part-glazed Gothick double doors to 5 stone steps down to octagonal chamber with arched alcoves to entrance and to loops;; octagonal keel-moulded rib-vault springing directly from corners. Spiral stair of 23 stone steps lit by 2 loops to octagonal upper chamber, vaulted as lower chamber and with blocked loops; opening of uncertain date, to north-east. (Bartholomew City Guides: Harris B: Chester: Edinburgh: 1979-: 94-95; The Buildings of England: Pevsner N & Hubbard E: Cheshire: 1971-: 155; Cheshire Sites and Monuments Record: Collens J: Chester City: 3007/2/1 & 2).
Listing NGR: SJ3999766544
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 470119
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Pevsner, N, Hubbard, E, The Buildings of England: Cheshire, (1971), 155
Harris, B, Bartholomew City Guides in Chester, (1979), 94-95
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 10-Jun-2026 at 14:49:19.
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