Chester in the Civil War Trail

“One of a series of friendly trails written and illustrated during lockdown by the team here at the Visitor Information Centre to give you a warm welcome to our much-loved City of Chester”

In the mid-17th century, England was ripped apart by civil war. A series of bloody conflicts pitted King Charles and his Royalist supporters against Parliament for the right to govern the country.  

Chester, then the largest place in the North West, was a major regional centre and a prosperous city on the main route into North Wales and a key port for Ireland. Chester was always going to be prized by both sides and its Royalist defenders were prepared to hold the city for the King. 

The city and its people suffered terribly during the civil war and its aftermath. Siege and plague were words no one wanted to hear, but both hit the city hard in the 1640s. 

This short guide will take you around many of Chester’s civil war sites and look at life and death in the city nearly 400 years ago. So, pick up your musket and let’s explore one of the most difficult periods in Chester’s long history – warts and all.  

Our Walk is a little over two miles (3km) long and begins at the Visitor Information Centre, located in the Town Hall. 

DOWNOAD THE FULL TRAIL ROUTE HERE.