Bonewaldesthorne's Tower, Chester

Bonewaldesthorne's Tower, Chester

Bonewaldesthorne's Tower is a medieval structure on the northwest corner of the city walls of Chester. It is attached by a spur wall to the Water Tower. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building. Built as part of Chester's defensive system, it was used in the 19th and early 20th centuries as a museum.

The tower has been documented since 1249. It was rebuilt or altered in 1322–26 when it became the gatehouse to the Water Tower. The Chester Mechanics' Institution was founded in 1835. The Institution wished to open a museum to show its artifacts and the city council leased the Water Tower and Bonewaldesthorne's Tower at a nominal rent for this purpose. The museum opened in 1838. A camera obscura was installed in the tower in 1840 and an observatory in 1848. Around this time a statue of Queen Anne which had formerly been in the Exchange before it burned down was installed on the steps of the tower.

The Institution closed in 1876 and the exhibits came into the possession of the city council. Bonewaldesthorne's Tower and the adjacent Water Tower have housed a museum of the history of medicine, 'Sick to Death', since August 2016.
Sight description based on Wikipedia.

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Bonewaldesthorne's Tower on Map

Sight Name: Bonewaldesthorne's Tower
Sight Location: Chester, England (See walking tours in Chester)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Chester, England

Create Your Own Walk in Chester

Create Your Own Walk in Chester

Creating your own self-guided walk in Chester is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Chester's Black-and-white Architecture Tour

Chester's Black-and-white Architecture Tour

While the origins of Chester date back to Roman Times, much of the city center, and by far the greatest part of it, looks medieval. Indeed, if you visit the city, the first thing you notice is the magnificent black-and-white architecture. Despite their appearance, however, the majority of these buildings are Victorian by the time of construction.

The Black-and-White Revival was an architectural...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles
Chester Introduction Walking Tour

Chester Introduction Walking Tour

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Chester was very important during the Industrial Revolution. This is largely due...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles
Chester's City Walls

Chester's City Walls

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First built by the Romans almost 2,000 years ago, the Walls were...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles