Thimbleby's Tower

Thimbleby's Tower
Thimbleby's Tower
Coordinates53°11′22″N 2°53′17″W / 53.18940°N 2.88816°W / 53.18940; -2.88816
OS grid referenceSJ 408 662
Built13th century (probable)
Listed Building – Grade I
Designated28 July 1955
Reference no.1376164
Location in cheshire

Thimbleby's Tower, formerly known as Wolf's Tower, is a structure in the city walls of Chester, Cheshire, England. It stands on the eastern section of the walls, between Eastgate and Newgate. The tower is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building.[1]

History

The tower probably dates originally from the 13th century. It was partly demolished in the siege of Chester in 1644–46 during the Civil War. Between 1702 and 1708 the whole of the city walls was converted into a raised walkway and it is likely that the tower was modified as part of this process. Repairs were carried out to it in 1879. It was further altered in 1994–95 for Chester City Council by Peter de Figuerdo.[1]

Architecture

Thimbleby's Tower is constructed in coursed red sandstone rubble. Its plan is semi-octagonal, and it appears to be the outer part of a drum tower without its upper storeys. The lower chamber contains three loops (unglazed slit windows), and at the level of the walkway are the springers of a former vault. During the 1994–95 alterations, the stone parapet between the walkway and the tower was replaced by an oak-framed polycarbonate screen. A steeply pitched gabled roof, hung with tiles, was added to the top of the structure. The citation in the National Heritage List for England states that this "masks its former defensive features and purpose".[1]

170m
185yds
Cathedral
Castle
Roman
Amphi-
theatre
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The Walls of Medieval
and Roman Chester
Medieval City Walls
The Roman Fortress
Roman Roads
Towers and Gates
Section of Wall
Map of central Chester, showing the line of the city walls and the gates, towers and wall sections of the medieval and post-medieval city.[2]
[Hide/Show the list of Gates, Towers and Wall sections]
1
Bonewaldesthorne's Tower
2
Spur Wall and Water Tower
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Wall between Bonewaldesthorne's Tower and Pemberton's Parlour
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Pemberton's Parlour
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Wall between Pemberton's Parlour and St Martin's Gate
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St Martin's Gate
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Wall between St Martin's Gate and Morgan's Mount
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Morgan's Mount
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Wall between Morgan's Mount and Northgate
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Northgate
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Wall between Northgate and Phoenix Tower
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Phoenix Tower
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Wall between Phoenix Tower and Kaleyard Gate
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Kaleyard Gate
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Wall between Kaleyard Gate and Eastgate
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Eastgate
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Wall between Eastgate and Thimbleby's Tower
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Thimbleby's Tower
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Wall between Thimbleby's Tower and Old Newgate
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Old Newgate
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Newgate
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Wall between Newgate and Barnaby's Tower
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Barnaby's Tower
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Wall between Barnaby's Tower and the Drum Tower
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Recorder's Steps
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Drum Tower
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Wall between the Drum Tower and Bridgegate
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Bridgegate
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Wall between Bridgegate and the former County Hall
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Wall between former County Hall and Grosvenor Road
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Wall between Grosvenor Road and Watergate
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Watergate
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Wall between Watergate and Bonewaldesthorne's Tower

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Historic England, "Thimbleby's Tower, Chester (1376164)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 15 July 2012
  2. ^ "The walls, towers, gates and posterns of the City of Chester". Historic England. Retrieved 19 November 2025.