Member Article

Historic city tower complex undergoes transformation to tell a new story of the history of Chester

Big Heritage to convert Grade I-listed Water Tower and Bonewaldesthorne’s Tower into a brand new heritage attraction focused on Chester’s world famous walls.

Chester’s medieval Water Tower complex is set to undergo a refurbishment over the next few months to create a new heritage attraction telling the story of the city’s walls, and the people who built, maintained and lived within them over 2,000 years.

The exhibition, called ‘Within These Walls’, will replace the current Sick to Death visitor attraction, which was famously home to the Chester Plague Doctor.

Chester-based social enterprise Big Heritage, which holds the lease for the historic Grade I-listed Water Tower and Bonewaldesthorne’s Tower, is funding the revamp of the stunning new attraction, offering both residents and visitors to the city more information about Chester’s world famous walls.

Dean Paton, founder of Big Heritage, said: “The walls of Chester are one the city’s most unique selling points, but there is no dedicated place that tells their fascinating story. This new attraction will change that. It will explore the Roman origins of the walls, their medieval expansion and the Victorian interventions, before bringing their story back to today, focusing on what is happening on the walls both now and in the future.”

Once open, the complex of medieval towers will also host a regularly updated ‘People’s Gallery’ – where people living and working in different parts of Chester will be given the opportunity to help co-curate and display information, art and artefacts that are relevant and interesting to city residents and visitors.

The dedicated Within These Walls exhibition will mean Sick to Death will be transformed into a roadshow attraction that will be taken right across the UK.

The Within These Walls attraction will also link with a new project Big Heritage are creating at St Michael’s Church in Bridge Street. More details will be announced on this in due course.

The tower complex will be closed during the renovation, which starts this week and is expected to be completed in Spring 2018.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Hannah Jones .