Phoenix Tower

CHESTER CITY (IM)

SJ4066NE CITY WALLS 595-1/2/110 Phoenix Tower 28/07/55 (Formerly Listed as: City Walls & Towers incl. foundations of SE angle Roman Fortress wall & tower)

GV I

Also known as: King Charles' Tower. North-east corner tower on City Walls. Probably of C13 origin, altered 1613, damaged 1644-6 during the Civil War, largely rebuilt 1658 and during C18; repaired C19 and C20. Red coursed sandstone with pyramidal grey slate roof. EXTERIOR: 4 stages, the lower 2, of 14 and 12 courses refaced in tooled sandstone, are beneath the level of the wall walk and have a diminishing batter, solid or with no access to the interior. The upper stages are of eroded coursed rubble with a coved string above each stage. The third stage has a round-arched boarded door to the wall-walk, loops and an external iron-gated stone stair of 3 winders and 13 rectangular steps carried on a corbelled half-arch projecting beyond the plane of the wall. Above the doorway to the lower chamber the carved phoenix dated 1613 is the emblem of the City Guild of Painters, Glaziers, Embroiderers and Stationers who occupied the tower as a meeting place. The fourth stage has a boarded door and four 3-light casements leaded with octagonal and lozenge panes. A plaque above the door states that King Charles stood on the tower on 24th September 1645 to see his army defeated at Rowton Moor. The roof has leaded hips and an ornate weather-vane. INTERIOR: the lower chamber is octagonal with cornice and radial ribs to vaulted ceiling. The upper chamber has exposed roof structure. The north-east tower of the legionary fortress underlies the present tower. (Cheshire Sites and Monuments Record: Collens J: Chester City: 3000/1/12 & /2/7).

Listing NGR: SJ4061066712