Chester's Black-and-white Architecture Tour (Self Guided), Chester

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 movement in the mid-19th century that re-used the vernacular elements of the past, such as painted black timber framing with panels in between painted white, referring to Tudor style. Although not created in Cheshire, this Revival movement was labeled as "Cheshire specialty".

The principal architects of the movement were John Douglas and T. M. Lockwood, who transformed the street frontages of Chester with their black-and-white creations. Major examples of their work include Lockwood's building opposite Chester Cross at No. 1 Bridge Street of 1888, described as "the best liked of T. M. Lockwood's buildings in Chester", and the terrace of buildings on the east side of St Werburgh Street of 1895–99 by Douglas. The black-and-white tradition in Chester continued well into the 20th century, attesting to which are St Michael's Buildings, completed in 1910 for the 2nd Duke of Westminster, designed by W. T. Lockwood.

These charming buildings are definitely eye-catching and will make your visit to Chester even more memorable. For a more detailed acquaintance with the architectural style so prominent in the city, take this self-guided walking tour.