A key element of the One City Plan is to keep our heritage alive in the city. The team, in partnership with the council, have been busy repairing sections of the walls and improving signage and interpretation as part of the PORTICO project – a cooperative between Chester and four other European cities.
With two thousand years of rich and colourful history the Walls have an amazing story to tell. A new series of interpretation panels have been installed at strategic points around the walls to help tell these colourful tales including details about the Royalist Captain Morgan and his Civil War exploits.
The Chester Walls App and new ‘Explore the Walls’ guide book, which were both launched in the summer, compliment the interpretation panels.
The Walls App transforms a smartphone into a ‘virtual tour guide’ telling the story in an entirely new way. Layered content will enable users to choose what kind of experience they would like – from a family day out to an in-depth heritage tour.
A number of the towers around the walls have been renovated including Morgan’s Mount, the Water Tower and most recently King Charles Tower, allowing public access to the lower level and the installation of audio visual interpretation.
Work started last week on a site over looking the Racecourse creating a Roodee View Point. ‘Hyper reality’ binoculars will be installed providing visitors with views of three historic landscapes. Visitors will witness the galleys and slaves of the Roman port, a view of the ships and wharves of the medieval port and a view of the river silting up and the very first horse race in 1539.