Chester

Chester stands on the River Dee within walls whose origins reach back to its Roman fortress. In the Middle Ages it became an important port for trade with Ireland and continental Europe, while its castle guarded the approach to north Wales. Merchants' shops and houses lined the streets of the walled city.

Chester's position made it valuable to Charles I during the Civil War, particularly as a port and a link with Ireland across the sea. Parliamentary forces besieged the Royalist city, breaching its walls and cutting off supplies to the inhabitants. After a long siege marked by hunger and bombardment, Chester surrendered in February 1646. Its ancient defences had once more become the scene of a struggle for control of the borderlands.