Guest, Sign inJoin
Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin MaryCathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary · Photo: Stephen Hamilton · CC BY-SA 3.0
A−History Grade
History of Chester · Historic England

697 listed buildings, 54 of them Grade I

Historic England counts them inside Chester’s built-up area, 75 for every 10,000 residents. It also has 9 scheduled monuments. We have photos of 124 of its listed buildings and 8 old views of the town. 17% of its homes were built before 1919. Chester grades A− for history: #3 of 46 in Cheshire.

54Grade I70Grade II*1770old map9scheduled monuments22on King Street
Listed buildings
697
75 per 10,000 residents
Grade I
54
exceptional interest
Grade II*
70
more than special interest
Scheduled monuments
9
2 registered parks & gardens
Homes built before 1919
17%
typical UK town 15%
In pictures

Chester in 139 photos and old views

Nearly every Grade I and II* building, photographed, and the town before 1950. Tap a photo to step through them full screen.

Remains of Roman AmphitheatreRemains of Roman AmphitheatreGrade I listedChester Railway StationChester Railway StationGrade II* listedSteam Mill Public House and OfficesSteam Mill Public House and OfficesGrade II listedThe Catholic ClubThe Catholic ClubGrade II listedOddfellows Arms Public HouseOddfellows Arms Public HouseGrade II listed+134See all photos

Photos from Wikimedia Commons and Geograph, copied to our own server, each credited to its photographer with its licence; names open the building’s page or its official list entry.

Through time

Chester from 1750 to 1944

An old map and 8 old photos and postcards, in date order. All public domain, made before 1950.

Eastgate, Chester18th century
GeorgianEastgate, ChesterPhoto: Thomas Pennant · Public domain
Hugh Lupus' Hall and Parliament House, Chester18th century
GeorgianHugh Lupus' Hall and Parliament House, ChesterPhoto: Thomas Pennant · Public domain
A plan of the city of Chester1770s
Old mapA plan of the city of ChesterMap: Thomas Pennant · Public domain
Bridge Street, Chesterc. 1865
VictorianBridge Street, ChesterPhoto: Augustus Kelham · CC0
The Cross and Rows, Chester, Cheshire, England, ca. 1895c. 1890
VictorianThe Cross and Rows, Chester, Cheshire, England, ca. 1895Photo: Detroit Publishing Co., under license from Photoglob Zürich · Public domain
Eaton Hall, Near Chester1903
EdwardianEaton Hall, Near ChesterPhoto: Unknown photographer · Public domain
On the Dee, Eccleston Ferry, Chester1903
EdwardianOn the Dee, Eccleston Ferry, ChesterPhoto: Unknown photographer · Public domain
Chester East gate postcard1940
War and afterChester East gate postcardPhoto: Unknown photographer · Public domain
Train pulling away from platform 6 at Chester Station, sometime in 1944c. 1944
War and afterTrain pulling away from platform 6 at Chester Station, sometime in 1944Photo: Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer · Public domain

Public domain, from Wikimedia Commons, copied to our own server. Each credit opens the image’s page with its full description and history.

The map

Where Chester’s history is

Every Grade I and II* building, monument and historic park, over the age of each neighbourhood’s homes.

Eaton Hall, registered park or gardenGrosvenor Park, registered park or gardenAbbey Green Roman site, scheduled monumentChester Castle (part), scheduled monumentMoated site 180m W of Fir Tree Farm, scheduled monumentRoman amphitheatre (southern part), scheduled monumentRoman camp 300m west of Upton Grange Farm, scheduled monumentSt John's Church (ruined portions), scheduled monumentSt Nicholas' Chapel, scheduled monumentThe Little Abbey Gateway, Northgate Street, scheduled monumentThe walls, towers, gates and posterns of the City of Chester, scheduled monumentBluecoat School and Former Chapel of St John Baptist, Grade II*Castle House, Grade II*Chester College Chapel, Grade II*Chester Leadworks and Shot Tower, Grade II*Chester Railway Station, Grade II*Church of St Marys, Grade II*Church of St Paul, Grade II*Equestrian Statue of Stapleton Cotton Viscount Combermere, Grade II*Former Premises of Trustee Savings Bank, Grade II*Former Rectory and Garden Railing, Grade II*Gamull House, Grade II*Kings Buildings, Grade II*Little Abbey Gateway, Grade II*Newton Hall, Grade II*Number 10 and Attached Walls, Grade II*Number 11 and Attached Walls, Grade II*Number 15 Street Numbers 17 and 19 Row, Grade II*Number 17 Street Number 9 Row the Boot Inn, Grade II*Number 21 Street Number 27 Row, Grade II*Number 21 and 23 Street, Grade II*Number 22 Row Number 22 Street, Grade II*Number 23 Street Number 27 Row, Grade II*Number 24 Row Number 24 Street, Grade II*Number 25 Street, Grade II*Number 26 Row Number 26 Street, Grade II*Number 30 Row Number 32 Street, Grade II*Number 33 Eastgate Street National Westminster Bank, 33, Eastgate Street and Row, Grade II*Number 34 Row Number 36 Street, Grade II*Number 35 Street, Grade II*Number 5 and Rear Dwelling and Attached Wall, Grade II*Number 57 Street Numbers 63 and 65 Row, Grade II*Number 57 Street the Pied Bull Hotel, Grade II*Number 68 Street, Grade II*Number 9 and Attached Walls, Grade II*Numbers 27, 29 and 31 Street the Dublin Packet Public House, Grade II*Numbers 31, 33 and 35 Street Numbers 37 and 39 Row, Grade II*Numbers 34, 36 and 38 Row Numbers 38, 40 and 42 Street, Grade II*Numbers 7 and 8 and Attached Walls, Grade II*Oddfellows Hall, Grade II*Old Newgate, Grade II*Part of City Wall from Bridgegate to County Hall (Not Included), Grade II*Part of a Roman Quay Wall Opposite St Martins Lodge, Grade II*Room, Grade II*Sedan House, Grade II*Shipgate House, Grade II*The Friars, Grade II*The Georgian House, Grade II*The Hermitage, Grade II*The Old Kings Head Hotel, Grade II*The Old Palace, Grade II*Town Hall, Grade II*Tudor House, Grade II*Walmoor House, Grade II*Watergate House, Grade II*1 Bridge Street and 1 Bridge Street Row East and 2 Eastgate Street, Grade II*1 and 2, Abbey Square, Grade II*1, Stanley Place, Grade II*11 Bridge Street and 11 Bridge Street Row East, Grade II*11, White Friars, Grade II*2-8 Bridge Street, 2-8 (part) Bridge Street Row West, 1-3 Watergate Street and 1 Watergate Row South, Grade II*26 Eastgate Street and 32 Eastgate Row South, Grade II*3, Abbey Square, Grade II*3, Stanley Street, Grade II*3-6, Abbey Green, Grade II*4 Eastgate Street and 2 Eastgate Row South, Grade II*4, 5 and 6, Abbey Square, Grade II*43 Bridge Street, and 49 Bridge Street Row East, Grade II*5, 7 and 9 Northgate Street, Grade II*5-11, Abbey Street, Grade II*6-11, Grosvenor Park Road, Grade II*A Block, Grade IAbbey Gateway, Grade IAgricola Tower, Grade IAssize Courts Block, Grade IB Block, Grade IBarnabys Tower, Grade IBear and Billet Public House, Grade IBonewaldesthorne Tower, Grade ICathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, Grade IChurch of St John the Baptist, Grade ICity Wall from Bonewaldesthorne Tower to Pembertons Parlour, Grade ICurtain Wall to West and South West of Inner Bailey, Grade IFalcon Inn, Grade IFormer Monastic Buildings to Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin, Grade IKaleyard Gate, Grade IMorgans Mount, Grade INumber 11 Street Numbers 15 and 15A Row the Old Crypt, Grade INumber 17 Street Number 21 Row Leche House, Grade INumber 28 Street Number 34 Row Crypt Building, Grade INumber 37 Street Number 45 Row St Ursulas, Grade INumber 41 Street Numbers 51 and 53 Row Bishop Lloyds House, Grade INumber 48 and 50 Street Numbers 48, 50 and 52 Row Three Old Arches, Grade INumber 63 and 65 Street the Blue Bell, Grade INumbers 28 and 30 Row Booth Mansion Numbers 28-34 Street, Grade IParish Church of St Peter, Grade IPart of City Wall Between Morgans Mount and Northgate, Grade IPart of City Wall from Barnabys Tower to Tower East of Bridgegate, Grade IPart of City Wall from Eastgate to Thimblebys Tower and Attached Gravestones, Grade IPart of City Wall from Grosvenor Road to the Watergate, Grade IPart of City Wall from Northgate to Phoenix Tower, Grade IPart of City Wall from Pembertons Parlour to St Martins Gate (Not Included), Grade IPart of City Wall from Phoenix Tower to Kaleyard Gate, Grade IPart of City Wall from St Martins Gate (Not Included) to Morgans Mount, Grade IPart of City Wall from Thimblebys Tower to Old Newgate, Grade IPart of City Wall from the Newgate to Barnabys Tower, Grade IPart of City Wall from the Watergate to Bonewaldesthorne Tower, Grade IPart of City Wall with Tower Base from Kaleyard Gate to Eastgate, Grade IPart of City Walls from Bridgegate to Drum Tower 50 Metres East, Grade IPembertons Parlour, Grade IPhoenix Tower, Grade IPropylaea, Grade IRecorders Steps, Grade IRemains of Roman Amphitheatre, Grade ISouth East Angle Tower and Wall of Roman Legionary Fortress, Grade ISpur Wall and Water Tower, Grade ISt Marys Centre, Grade IThe Bridgegate, Grade IThe Eastgate and clock, Grade IThe Northgate, Grade IThe Watergate, Grade IThimblebys Tower, Grade IUnnamed Drum Tower 50 Metres East of the Bridgegate, Grade I12 Bridge Street and Cowper House, 10 Bridge Street Row West, Grade I39 Bridge Street, Grade I
Grade IGrade II*Scheduled monumentPark or garden400 m from Three Old Arches
Homes built before 1919, by neighbourhoodunder 10%10–25%25–50%50%+
38 of 54Grade I buildings stand within 400 m of Three Old Arches, a five-minute walk. So do 359 of the 697 listed buildings.
6 of 62neighbourhoods have mostly pre-1919 homes; in the oldest, 68% were built before 1919.

Hover a dot for its name; tap one with a photo to open it.

697 listed buildings by grade
54 Grade I70 Grade II*573 Grade II

Historic England lists buildings in three grades: Grade I for buildings of exceptional interest (about 2.5% of all listed buildings), Grade II* for particularly important buildings of more than special interest (about 5.8%), and Grade II for buildings of special interest (about 91.7%). Listing protects the whole building, inside and out.

Every entry on the National Heritage List for England whose point lies inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary. One list entry can cover a terrace or a group of buildings. Neighbourhood dots: the population-weighted centre of each Census 2021 output area, coloured by its neighbourhood’s (LSOA’s) share of homes built before 1919 (Valuation Office Agency, March 2025).

Grade I

The 54 Grade I listed buildings in Chester

Buildings of exceptional interest, about 2.5% of all listed buildings; 38 of these stand within 400 m of Three Old Arches. 53 are photographed. Each opens its own page, with the official list entry.

Cathedral · listed 1955Chester CathedralOn the list as Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin MaryPhoto: Stephen Hamilton · CC BY-SA 3.0
House · listed 1972Chester Roman AmphitheatreOn the list as Remains of Roman AmphitheatrePhoto: Nadia from Sydney, Australia · CC BY-SA 2.0
House · listed 1985A BlockPhoto: Worm That Turned · CC BY-SA 3.0
Church · listed 1955Abbey GatewayPhoto: John S Turner · CC BY-SA 2.0
House · listed 1967Chester Crown CourtOn the list as Assize Courts BlockPhoto: Worm That Turned · CC BY-SA 3.0
House · listed 1985B BlockPhoto: Worm That Turned · CC BY-SA 3.0
House · listed 1955Barnaby's TowerOn the list as Barnabys TowerPhoto: Marcushobson · CC BY-SA 3.0
Inns & shops · listed 1955Bear and BilletOn the list as Bear and Billet Public HousePhoto: Eirian Evans · CC BY-SA 2.0
Inns & shops · listed 1955The FalconOn the list as Falcon InnPhoto: Rodhullandemu · CC BY-SA 4.0
Walls & gates · listed 1955Kaleyard GatePhoto: Peter I. Vardy · Public domain
House · listed 1955Morgan's MountOn the list as Morgans MountPhoto: chestertouristcom · CC BY-SA 2.0
House · listed 1955Old CryptOn the list as Number 11 Street Numbers 15 and 15A Row the Old CryptPhoto: Dave.Dunford · CC BY-SA 4.0
House · listed 1955Leche HouseOn the list as Number 17 Street Number 21 Row Leche HousePhoto: Peter I. Vardy · Public domain
House · listed 1955Crypt ChambersOn the list as Number 28 Street Number 34 Row Crypt BuildingPhoto: Peter I. Vardy · Public domain
House · listed 1955St Ursula'sOn the list as Number 37 Street Number 45 Row St UrsulasPhoto: Peter I. Vardy · Public domain
House · listed 1955Bishop Lloyd's HouseOn the list as Number 41 Street Numbers 51 and 53 Row Bishop Lloyds HousePhoto: Dave.Dunford · CC BY-SA 4.0
House · listed 1972Three Old ArchesOn the list as Number 48 and 50 Street Numbers 48, 50 and 52 Row Three Old ArchesPhoto: Peter I. Vardy · Public domain
House · listed 1955Blue BellOn the list as Number 63 and 65 Street the Blue BellPhoto: Peter I. Vardy · Public domain
House · listed 1955Booth MansionOn the list as Numbers 28 and 30 Row Booth Mansion Numbers 28-34 StreetPhoto: Peter I. Vardy · Public domain
Church · listed 1955St Peter's ChurchOn the list as Parish Church of St PeterPhoto: Jeff Buck · CC BY-SA 2.0
House · listed 1955Pemberton's ParlourOn the list as Pembertons ParlourPhoto: John S Turner · CC BY-SA 2.0
House · listed 1955Phoenix TowerPhoto: chestertouristcom · CC BY-SA 2.0
House · listed 1955Recorder's StepsOn the list as Recorders StepsPhoto: Peter I. Vardy · CC BY-SA 3.0
Walls & gates · listed 1955Water TowerOn the list as Spur Wall and Water TowerPhoto: Tom Pennington · CC BY-SA 2.0
House · listed 1955BridgegateOn the list as The BridgegatePhoto: John S Turner · CC BY-SA 2.0
House · listed 1955NorthgateOn the list as The NorthgatePhoto: chestertouristcom · CC BY-SA 2.0
House · listed 1955WatergateOn the list as The WatergatePhoto: John S Turner · CC BY-SA 2.0
House · listed 1955Thimbleby's TowerOn the list as Thimblebys TowerPhoto: Peter I. Vardy · CC BY-SA 3.0
Grade II*

The 70 Grade II* listed buildings in Chester

Particularly important buildings of more than special interest. 68 are photographed.

Public · listed 1955Bluecoat SchoolOn the list as Bluecoat School and Former Chapel of St John BaptistPhoto: Dennis Turner · CC BY-SA 2.0
House · listed 1981Chester Shot TowerOn the list as Chester Leadworks and Shot TowerPhoto: Espresso Addict · CC BY-SA 4.0
Street furniture · listed 1955St John's RectoryOn the list as Former Rectory and Garden RailingPhoto: Stephen Richards · CC BY-SA 2.0
House · listed 1955Gamul HouseOn the list as Gamull HousePhoto: Peter I. Vardy · Public domain
Show the other 58
Inns & shops · listed 1955Boot InnOn the list as Number 17 Street Number 9 Row the Boot InnPhoto: Stedent · CC BY-SA 3.0
Inns & shops · listed 1955Pied Bull HotelOn the list as Number 57 Street the Pied Bull HotelPhoto: Rodhullandemu · CC BY-SA 4.0
House · listed 1972St Michael's BuildingsOn the list as Numbers 31, 33 and 35 Street Numbers 37 and 39 RowPhoto: Martinvl · CC BY-SA 3.0
Public · listed 1955Oddfellows' HallOn the list as Oddfellows HallPhoto: John S Turner · CC BY-SA 2.0
House · listed 1955Old NewgatePhoto: Peter I. Vardy · CC BY-SA 3.0
House · listed 1955RoomPhoto: Dave.Dunford · CC BY-SA 4.0
House · listed 1955Anchorite's CellOn the list as The HermitagePhoto: Stephen Craven · CC BY-SA 2.0
Inns & shops · listed 1955Old King's Head HotelOn the list as The Old Kings Head HotelPhoto: Dennis Turner · CC BY-SA 2.0
Public · listed 1972Chester Town HallOn the list as Town HallPhoto: John S Turner · CC BY-SA 2.0
House · listed 1955Tudor HousePhoto: Peter I. Vardy · CC BY-SA 3.0
House · listed 1972Walmoor HillOn the list as Walmoor HousePhoto: Wildlife Terry · CC0
Historic streets

King Street has the most listed buildings

Streets by the listed entries with an address on them. One entry can be a whole terrace, so long rows count once.

King Street22 listed
Lower Bridge Street19 listed
Foregate Street17 listed
White Friars16 listed · 1 II*
11, White Friars
Stanley Place9 listed · 1 II*
1, Stanley Place
Victoria Pathway8 listed
Castle Street7 listed
Egerton Street6 listed
Hamilton Street5 listed
Queens Place5 listed
Abbey Square4 listed · 3 II*
1 and 2, Abbey Square3, Abbey Square4, 5 and 6, Abbey Square
Abbey Street4 listed · 1 II*
5-11, Abbey Street

Of the 697 entries, 256 are named by a street address; the rest are named buildings such as churches, halls and bridges.

What’s protected

Most of Chester’s listed buildings are homes

Every listed building sorted by what its list name says it is.

Houses, terraces & villas473
Walls, gates & bridges99
Public & civic buildings41
Inns, shops & warehouses33
Churches, chapels & priories30
Memorials, crosses & tombs13
Street furniture8

473 entries (68%) are houses, terraces and villas. 30 are churches, chapels and priories, including 5 of the 54 Grade I buildings.

Buildings are sorted by words in each entry’s name (church, gate, inn, memorial…): the list’s open data has no building type. An entry named only by its address counts as a house.

Grade II

573 Grade II listed buildings

Most listed buildings are in this grade, which covers buildings of special interest. Open any building to read its official list entry.

The first 150 of 573 Grade II listed buildings, A to Z
(West Part)Abbey ChambersAbbey Gate SchoolAddleshaw TowerAlbion MewsAlmshouses of Hospital of St John BaptistArch from St Michaels ChurchArtillery Stores Below the Eastern Wall of Inner BaileyBache HallBandstandBank HouseBarclays BankBarrel Well HouseBirdbath Approximately 16 Metres South of South West Corner of St Martins LodgeBishops HouseBoughton HallBoughton HouseBoughton Lodge and Attached CottageBoundary Wall to Number 17 Tower Summerhouse and Boundary Wall to Number 14A (Number 14A Not Included)Boys ClubBridge Lock on Canal Link from River Dee to Chester BasinBridge of SighsBull and Stirrup HotelCampbell Memorial Hall (Excluding East Entrance) and Former CottageCedar HouseCemetery wall of former Leprosy Hospital of St GilesCenotaph to Matthew Henry on Grosvenor Street RoundaboutChapel House of English Presbyterian Church of WalesChemistry Lock and SluiceChester City War Memorial to Those Slain in Both World WarsChester College Old Building and Wall, North East and South EastChester High CrossChester House, Garden Chambers and WallChester Magistrates CourtChester Royal InfirmaryChester Visitor CentreChrist ChurchChurch at Countess of Chester Hospital 200 Metres South West of 1829 BlockChurch of All SaintsChurch of ChristChurch of St FrancisChurch of St MarkChurch of St Thomas of CanterburyChurch of St WerburghChurch of the Holy AscensionChurchyard Wall and Gate Piers to Church of St Thomas of CanterburyChurchyard Wall, Piers and Gates to St Thomas of CanterburyCity Arms Public HouseCommercial Hotel and Attached Wall and St Peters Fine Art GalleryConservatory Attached to the South Front of Hoole HallControl Room, Boughton Water Pumping StationCountess of Chester Hospital (Original Block)County Council Education Offices and Walls to SouthCraigside and Garden WallsCross Keys Public House and Raised ForecourtCross in Centre of Abbey SquareCross in St Marys ChurchyardCurtain Wall to East of Inner BaileyCurtain Wall to South of Inner BaileyDee HouseDiocesan HouseDownswoodDrinking Fountain at Junction with BoughtonEast Entrance to Campbell Memorial HallEbury House St Marys CottageEgerton Street County Primary School, Shelter and RailingsEnglish Presbyterian Church of WalesFernrock KindersForest HouseFormer Church of St Barnabas and Curates HouseFormer Methodist New Connexion ChapelFormer Steam Flour Mill at Sj 4127 6662Former Tollhouse at Tarvin Road LockFormer Westminster Road School and Schoolhouse, Now Centre and FlatsFragment of Deva Roman Fortress WallFront Garden Wall to Bishops House Including Gate Piers and ArchFront Garden Wall to Numbers 13 and 14Garden CourtGarden Wall and Gate Piers to Newton HallGarden Wall and Gate Piers to the FriarsGarden Wall and Gates of Netherleigh HouseGarden Wall to Number 14Garden Wall to the Old Palace, With Gates and OverthrowGates and Churchyard Wall to Church of All SaintsGeorge and Dragon Public House and SignpostGilwernGolden Eagle Public HouseGraving Lock on Canal Link to River DeeGreenbankGreenfield LockGrosvenor HotelGrosvenor MuseumGrosvenor Rowing Club Boathouse (The East Boathouse)Grove CottageGuildhallHeath House, 179 Christleton Road, ChesterHeritage CentreHoole HallHoole Lane LockHouse of ShelterIron Roving BridgeLloyds BankLock Keepers Cottage at Chemistry Lock, With Walled Yard and PrivyLodge to GreenbankLove Street School (St Werburgh Middle School)Lych Gate to St Marks ChurchMaclean HouseMain Gateway, To Grosvenor Park Road, And Yard Gate PiersManor HouseMilepost 30 Metres South of Junction with Ormonde RoadMilepost 50 Metres East of Boughton GyratoryMilepost 80 Metres North of Junction with Abbots ParkMilepost Approximately 450 Metres South of Overleigh RoundaboutMilepost to Chester Cross 300 Metres South West of Overleigh RoundaboutMilepost to Chester Cross 75 Metres South of Netherleigh HouseMilepost to Chester Cross, Sealand RoadMilitary HouseNapier HouseNetherleigh House, Yard Walls and Former Coach HouseNorthgate BakeryNorthgate BridgeNorthgate ChurchNorthgate HouseNorthgate Lock Keepers CottageNorthgate LocksNos. 112 (Part of Lloyds of Chester Hotel), 114, 116 & 118 Brook StreetNumber 1 Street the City ClubNumber 1 to 6 Blackfriars Court (Part) and Garden WallNumber 10 Bridge Street, and Number 8 (part) Bridge Street Row WestNumber 10 Street Number 8 RowNumber 10-28 and Steps, Railings and Lamp HolderNumber 100 StreetNumber 102 StreetNumber 104 Street Grosvenor HouseNumber 11 Row Number 17A StreetNumber 12 Row Number 12 StreetNumber 13 Street Numbers 13 and 15 RowNumber 133 and Garden WallNumber 14 Row Number 16 and 18 StreetNumber 143 and Garden WallNumber 16 East WingNumber 16 Street Numbers 14 and 16 RowNumber 16 West WingNumber 18 Street Numbers 18 and 20 RowNumber 19 Row Number 25 StreetNumber 19 and 21 Street Number 29 RowNumber 20 Street Numbers 16 and 18 RowNumber 21 Row Number 27 StreetNumber 23 Row Lyon HouseNumber 23 Row Number 29 Street

Search the rest on Historic England’s list →

Conservation areas

1 conservation area covers 93% of Chester

Areas the council protects as a whole: demolition and changes to how buildings look need consent, and trees are protected.

No data available for publication by HE2,301 ha
2,301 hain conservation areas, of 2,465 ha inside the built-up area.

697 of the 697 listed buildings stand in one.

Historic England’s conservation areas layer, supplied by councils (incomplete in places, so a page fact, never graded). Hectares are the part of each area inside the built-up area.

How the list grew

259 of Chester’s 697 listed buildings were added in 1972

The year each building now on the list was first listed.

1972 · 2591955 · 1811998 · 144
19501960197019801990200020102020

The first 2 entries were listed in 1950. 259 came in 1972, in the national resurvey of the 1970s and 80s. Only 6 have been added in the last 15 years.

Monuments & landscapes

Monuments, parks and gardens

Designations that overlap the town by a tenth of their area or half a hectare.

9 scheduled monuments

Nationally important archaeological sites and monuments, protected by law; work on them needs consent from the Secretary of State, advised by Historic England.

Abbey Green Roman site
Chester Castle (part)
Roman amphitheatre (southern part)
St John's Church (ruined portions)
St Nicholas' Chapel
The Little Abbey Gateway, Northgate Street
The walls, towers, gates and posterns of the City of Chester

2 registered parks and gardens

Eaton Hall
Eaton HallGrade II*
Grosvenor Park
History Grade

Chester grades A− for history

Protected heritage and the age of the town’s homes, against all UK towns.

Protected heritage, for its size and in all (897 points, 97 per 10,000 residents)More than 85% of UK towns
Homes built before 1919 (17%)More than 51% of UK towns

Two measures, each ranked against every UK town of 1,000 or more, with protected heritage counting twice as much as the age of homes. Protected heritage counts each listed building by its grade (Grade I three points, II* two, II one), each scheduled monument and battlefield two, and each registered park or garden by its grade; it is ranked both per 10,000 residents and as a total, so a village with one fine church doesn’t outrank a historic city. The second measure is the share of homes built before 1919, from the Valuation Office Agency’s council tax records. History is a character grade: it describes the town and isn’t part of the overall grade.

Born here

59 notable people born in Chester before 1900

The 20 best known on one timeline, earliest first.

Hawise of Chester, 1st Countess of Lincoln
Samuel Molyneux
Watkin Tench
Thomas Crane
George Cotton
Henry Cecil Raikes
Randolph Caldecott
Norma Borthwick
Edward Anwyl
John Marshall
Ralph Brett
Bert Lipsham
Fred Halliday
Joe Hewitt
Jack Lipsham
Robert Haining
Robert Evans
William Havelock Ramsden
Adrian Boult
Basil Radford
120013501500165018001950
Adrian Boult
Adrian Boult1889–1983 · British conductor (1889–1983)
JM
John Marshall1876–1958 · British archaeologist (1876–1958)
Randolph Caldecott
Randolph Caldecott1846–1886 · British artist and illustrator (1846-1886)
BR
Basil Radford1897–1952 · British actor (1897-1952)
Watkin Tench
Watkin Tench1758–1833 · Royal Marines general (1758-1833)
SM
Samuel Molyneux1689–1728 · Irish politician (1689-1728)
Edward Anwyl
Edward Anwyl1866–1914 · Welsh academic (1866–1914)
HL
Hawise of Chester, 1st Countess of Lincoln1180–1241 · English noble

Everyone born in Chester → Birthplaces from Wikidata; portraits from Wikimedia Commons.

Towns its size

Chester has the 3rd most Grade I buildings of 115 towns its size

Places of 56,000–148,000 people outside London, by Grade I listed buildings.

Bath102
York64
Chester54
Lincoln43
Gloucester34
Exeter22
Carlisle22
Rochester21
Shrewsbury15
Worcester13
Colchester13
Derry City12
#6 of 115for listed buildings per resident (75 per 10,000). Bath, Shrewsbury and York lead.

Only Bath and York have more. The typical town its size has 2.

Neighbours

Listed buildings in the places around Chester

TownPeopleListedGrade IHistory
Chester92,75669754A−
Moston1,09910C−
Christleton and Waverton2,670330B+
Guilden Sutton1,46230C−
Mickle Trafford1,84040C−
Saughall2,65550C
Broughton6,53240D
Garden City2,42750C
In brief

Chester in brief

The official list counts 697 listed buildings in Chester, 54 of them Grade I, including Chester Cathedral. For its size, it has more listed heritage than 85% of UK towns. Its Grade I buildings cluster together: 38 of them stand within 400 m of Three Old Arches. Only 2 of the 115 towns nearest its size have more Grade I buildings.

On King Street alone there are 22 listed buildings. A conservation area protects part of it. Most entries on the list, 68%, are houses, terraces and villas. Beyond that, 17% of its homes were built before 1919, close to the 15% in the typical UK town.

Questions about Chester’s history

How many listed buildings are there in Chester?

Historic England lists 697 buildings inside Chester’s built-up area: 54 Grade I, 70 Grade II* and 573 Grade II.

What are the Grade I listed buildings in Chester?

54, including A Block, Abbey Gateway, Agricola Tower, Assize Courts Block, B Block and Barnabys Tower.

Which street in Chester has the most listed buildings?

King Street (22), Lower Bridge Street (19) and Foregate Street (17) have the most listed entries named by an address. One entry can be a whole terrace.

Are there scheduled monuments in Chester?

Yes, 9 scheduled monuments, including Abbey Green Roman site, Chester Castle (part), Moated site 180m W of Fir Tree Farm and Roman amphitheatre (southern part).

How many conservation areas are there in Chester?

1, covering about 2,301 hectares of the town. The largest is No data available for publication by HE.

When were Chester’s buildings listed?

The first in 1950; the most, 259, in 1972.

Are there old photos of Chester?

Yes: 8 public-domain photos and postcards from 1750 to 1944, and an old map from 1770, all on this page.

Who was born in Chester?

Among people born before 1900: Adrian Boult (1889), John Marshall (1876), Randolph Caldecott (1846), Basil Radford (1897) and Watkin Tench (1758).

How old are the homes in Chester?

17% of homes were built before 1919 and 32% before 1940, from the Valuation Office Agency’s council tax records (March 2025).

© Historic England 2026. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. The National Heritage List for England is the official, up-to-date register of all nationally protected historic buildings and sites in England; check an entry on Historic England’s website before relying on it.

Sources: Historic England, National Heritage List for England (listed buildings, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, battlefields, World Heritage Sites), October 2026, inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary · Valuation Office Agency, Council Tax: stock of properties by build period (31 March 2025) · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only · Historic England conservation areas (supplied by local planning authorities; October 2026). All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.