Although in ruins, enough of the walls and towers are still in place to provide a clear picture of how it would have looked in its prime. It has a small museum and visitor's centre at the entrance. A lodge house was built by Tollemache in the 19th century, and was expanded in the 20th century. The lodge is two storeys high, with two circular towers either side of a central archway. These were not part of the original defences.

The rock of Beeston stands over one of the three gaps in the hills which encircle Chester, dominating the Cheshire plain. The idea of a castle dependent, at least in part, for its strength on deep, rock cut ditches owes much to the fortresses seen in the Holy Land on crusade by Ranulf, earl of Chester.

After passing the entrance towers you come to the actual medieval structure. This outer wall closed off a massive outer bailey. Towers, mostly D-plan, were built at regular intervals along the walls, the most massive to form gatehouses. This concept of castle defence was only to be fully developed at the end of the 13th century in Edward I's great castle building campaign in his conquest of Wales.

Beeston never had palatial buildings like in other castles, and throughout the 13th and 14th century remained a military base, spartan but effective.

The summit is the crowning glory of Beeston and the inner bailey is defended by a deep tock cut ditch. The inner bailey commands astounding views across eight counties, from the Welsh mountains to the west, to the Penines in the east. It also contains the the 100m deep castle well.

As well as the deep ditch, the inner bailey is also defended by the mighty double towered gatehouse.

Beeston Castle experienced a final blaze of glory as an important English Civil War stronghold, which finally surrendered to Parliament in November 1645 after a long and eventful siege when only potential starvation caused its defenders to surrender.

The German submarine war in WW2 was a fascinating campaign with technology and tactics continually evolving to swing the advantage from one side to the other until in May 1943 the Allies regained the initiative and kept it until the end of the war. The human side is also fascinating and it takes a special kind of person to serve on submarines. If you read any accounts of the men who served you will understand the roller-coaster life they led and learn of the extreme highs and lows they experienced.

The U Boats were referred to as wolves for propaganda reasons. Unlike in WWI where submarines acted alone and were not as effective, the German tactics in WWII would be for a submarine to call in reinforcements when allied shipping was found and then attack together or to continue the propaganda, as a Wolf Pack. When U Boat losses became unsustainable and the futility of continuing the campaign became apparent the sailors often referred to their submarines as Iron Coffins instead.

The fuel and oil tanks ran along the sides, making the food stored in this area taste of diesel. The wood on the left by the hatch was a cupboard which has been removed. Through the hatch is the forward torpedo area and a further crew quarters. Two of the four bow torpedo tubes can be seen.

On 5 May 1945, for unknown reasons, the captain of U-534 ignored the order to surrender, issued to all U-boats by Admiral Doenitz, and set course for Norway instead. To this day, mystery still surrounds U-534's refusal to surrender; however, numerous theories exist. What seems to be established fact is that U-534 was sailing on the surface of the Kattegat, together with three other boats, when British aircraft attacked. The crew managed to shoot one bomber down, but the boat received a direct hit from a depth charge.

U-534 had a crew of 52 men, all of whom escaped and 49 survived. Five were trapped in the torpedo room as she began to sink but escaped through the torpedo tubes just in time. One of these crewmen, 17 year old radio operator Josef Neudorfer, failed to breathe out as he was surfacing from depth and the air in his lungs expanded, bursting his lungs. The other two deaths were caused by exposure.

The indentations show where the depth charge that sank U534 exploded. It doesn't look much as this is only the outer skin we can see which played no part in the buoyancy of the boat, but the pressure hull which you cannot see must have been severely breached.

The visitor centre acts as host to the many artifacts that have been recovered from the wreck. There had to be a good mathematician on board to interpret the contact data. The rulers and tables can be seen here along with a camera.

Finding ships to sink were often rare occurrences and sailors had to find ways to fight the inevitable boredom that would set in when on patrol. Ludo, chequers and chess pieces can all be seen in this photo. Some everyday objects can also be seen such as the brush in the top right which the owner engraved his name in.

Cutlery, razors, a ceremonial dagger, uniform insignia and the coveted Iron Cross are some of the finds that came up with the boat.

All U-Boats carried a flag, which was flown when arriving back at port. This has been preserved by the silt it was covered in at the bottom of the sea. By the end of WW2, 28000 sailors had lost their lives out of a total of 40000 who served - a casualty rate of 75%. Towards the end, losses became so high that many sailors never made it past their second mission. Despite such overwhelming odds the sailors continued to do their duty knowing that they must certainly be heading to their deaths. How did people function under such pressure?

This stone pillar marks the city centre. Four roads that follow the original Roman plan fan out from this point and are Watergate, Northgate, Eastgate and Bridge Street. It has been the site of public proclamations since medieval times, the earliest known proclamation being in the 15th century. During the Civil War, the Cross had served as a rallying point for the Royalist citizens, but after their eventual surrender to Parliamentary forces at the end of the siege it was pulled down.

St Peters Church stands at the centre of Chester adjacent to The Cross. It was founded in AD 907 and is Chester's oldest church. It once had a large spire and the exterior has been restored several times. The church is unusual because of its square form. It is constructed out of local sandstone and stands on top of the Roman headquarters building. the Principia. In 1086 the church was mentioned in the Domesday Book and referred to as 'Templum Sancti Petri'.

The Three Old Arches on Upper Bridge Street form the facade of a row building from the 12th century, believed to be the earliest surviving shop frontage in England. The structure behind was rebuilt in the early to mid 14th century, as an impressive stone town house with a hall which is partly intact.

In the background can be seen The Newgate, built to replace a Medieval era gate. This falls just outside of the Roman fortress, the walls between the gate being the approximate position of the South West corner of the Roman fort.

One of the two processional entrances or Porta Pompae. These gave direct access to the arena and its northern and southern ends.

Close to the church side of the Amphitheatre are the remains of the steps leading to the Roman officer's seats. From this position to Roman elite would have watched the events unfold. The alternative theory is that this is an early Church. And was replaced by the one near by.

This church is adjacent to the amphitheatre and built on the site of an older Saxon Church in 1075. It is now considered to be the best example of 11th–12th century church architecture in Cheshire

The church was a cathedral but following the Dissolution of the Monasteries (A formal process between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monastic communities in England, Wales and Ireland and confiscated their property) and became a church. The eastern end of the church, abandoned in 1581 is now a ruin.

Placed high in the wall of the ruin has been placed a medieval solid oak coffin found during repairs in 1813. Inside are painted the words "Dust to Dust". I think that something like this should be held and preserved in a museum rather than slowly decay in the ruin.

This section of the walls shows the breach that was made in the walls during the Civil War siege of Chester. It can be seen where the breached section has been rebuilt. Though the Parliamentarian forces were successful in creating a breach, fierce Royalist resistance beat back all attempts to enter the city.

This pub is just outside of the city centre and next to the park in the Groves area. This is a popular area in the summer due to its river location. I have included this picture for no other reason than it reminds me of many a drunken night spent here in my formative years.

The first house on this site was built around 1200. This was longer and reached further down the Street. In the 13th century the building was altered and a row walkway was added through the front of the property. In the 17th century the row walkway was enclosed. Other residents followed suite and as a result Lower Bridge Street lost its ancient rows. They can be seen from within the pub though and are worth a look. The Falcon was first used as an Inn in 177 and restored in 1980 to the pub that you can see today.

The abbey was closed in 1540 during Henry VIII's dissolution frenzy but was re-consecrated as a cathedral the following year. It has received a Victorian facelift but the 12th century cloister and surrounding buildings are essentially unaltered.

Chester's beauty and reason it is a tourist destination can be seen in these attractive building opposite the cathedral.

Just outside the walls on Northgate St is this bridge. The stone footbridge over the canal was built in 1793 to link the city jail with a chapel (on the right). Prisoners crossed over to the chapel to receive their last rights before execution. Prisoners were held in dungeons below the city walls and without windows. The only air the prisoners got was by pipe.

The most famous characteristic of Chester are the city walls that surround the historic center. Originally built by the Romans around 70 AD, they were altered substantially over the years but have retained their position since around 1200. In this photo, the darker wall is part of the original Roman wall. The canal was dug centuries later and used for transport rather than defence. Behind me is the Bridge of Sighs, across Northgate Street.

This is the North Eastern corner of Chester's Roman and Medieval defences. A Roman angle tower stood near the site of this medieval watch tower. During the English civil war on 24th September 1645, King Charles stood on this tower and saw his Royalist army defeated at the Battle of Rowton Moor, about two miles away.

At its height, this Roman fort named Deva or Castra Devana held over 5000 soldiers from the legion 'Legio XX Valeria Victrix' - the Brave and Victorious 20th Legion. Near this section of the walls was the site of the legionary barrack blocks. These long narrow buildings housed a century of 80 men with separate quarters for the commanding officer or centurion. This is now the grassy area on the left.

Further along the walls at the East gate is the famous clock, second in fame supposedly only to London's Big Ben. The clock was built for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

Looking down from the Eastgate St clock tower and west into the City, it's a hive of activity - only two shopping days till Christmas!

The Rows are a series of two level galleried arcades that fan out along the central Cross. It is a handsome mix of Victorian and Tudor (some of it mock) and houses a large collection of shops. It is believed that as the Roman buildings slowly crumbled, medieval traders built their shops against the rubble while later arrivals built theirs on top. This photo is looking west along Eastgate St, with the clock tower bridge some way to left out of shot.

In 1938 the Newgate replaced a small medieval gate called the Wolfgate. This part of the wall is not Roman and is a medieval extension. The foundations in the photo are those of a Roman angle tower which guarded the south eastern corner of the fortress. The tower was built between AD 74 and 96. In front was a defensive ditch 9 feet deep and 20 feet wide.

Just outside the Roman fortress near the Newgate was a stone amphitheatre, the largest ever found in Britain and could hold 7000 spectators. Half has been excavated and the other half is still underground. The soldiers used it for weapon training and parades but it was also used for entertainment and evidence for gladiatorial combat has been found.

Between the amphitheatre and the walls are the Roman Gardens with a reconstructed hypocaust. A hypocaust was the underfloor heating in Roman buildings. A furnace under the floor allowed heat and hot air to rise. The hot air was then drawn up into flus set into the wall and finally vents in the roof.

These six houses just within the walls were built in the mid 17th century. The medieval walls can be seen opposite the houses.

This side of the walls faces onto the River Dee. The steps just about visible in the photo are called the Wishing Steps and were added in 1785. Local legend claims that if you can run up and down these steps while holding your breath your wish will come true. How did this nonsense originate?

This outstanding timber building was originally the town house of the Earl of Shrewsbury, sergeants of the Dee Bridge 'Bridgegate' a short distance to the left, in the mid 17th century. Dated 1664 and the oldest timber framed building in the city, this former tollgate may have replaced an earlier building destroyed during the Civil war.

Leading to Chester on the left, this was the only bridge across the River Dee until the 19th century and dates from 1387 when it replaced the timber bridges which were swept away in floods. A strong fortified gate on the Welsh side was demolished in 1782. Medieval Chester was a base for the conquest of North Wales and just across the river the suburb of Handbridge was known as 'Burnt Town' because of frequent Welsh attacks.

The great stone weir across the river was built in the 11th century and provided water power for a corn mill on the Chester side (left in the photo) of the Dee Bridge. Salmon fishing is one of Chester's traditional industries and the river between the weir and the Dee Bridge was known as the Kings Pool. Only the Abbot of Chester and his monks could fish in it.

The fortress was constructed of local sandstone, quarried from across the river. Traces can still be seen today in Handbridge. On the old quarry face was carved an image of the Roman goddess Minerva. The figure can just about be seen holding a spear and a shield with an owl above the left shoulder to symbolise wisdom - if you can see it you have a better imagination than me. It is thought that the shrine was used by travellers crossing the ford before going into the fortress. It is unique in Britain because it is the only rock cut Roman shrine still in situ in the country. To paraphrase the well known archeologist Indiana Jones, 'that belongs in a museum!'

Chester Castle was built by William the Conqueror in 1070 to guard the Welsh border. It was originally a timber castle built on an earth mound but was rebuilt in stone in the 12th and 13th centuries. Much of the castle has been levelled but the surviving medieval parts can still be visited.

The original Norman gateway to Chester Castle, this 12th century tower houses a chapel with fine though wall paintings from around 1220, rediscovered in the 1980s.

As you continue the walk around the city walls from Chester Castle you will be taken past the racecourse to the 'Watergate' which is where much traffic occurred when Chester was a great port. The Roman harbour wall can be seen towards the bottom right of the picture.

Below the walls are the remains of the Roman harbour wall and were an impressive engineering achievement. In Roman times the River Dee came much closer to the fortress and the current racecourse was a tidal pool. Being an important port, a large settlement formed between the walls and the harbour. It became unused in the Middle Ages and the river silted up allowing the river bed to become grazing land and today's racecourse.

Leaving the racecourse and 'Watergate' behind, the next interesting monument on the walls is the Water Tower. In the 14th century, the river continued to change course so a new tower was built standing out in the river, connecting the defences. Over time, silt continued to choke the river channel and within 100 hundred years, the Water Tower was left stranded on dry land.

Morgans Mount was originally one of the medieval watch towers on the city walls. It is named after a commander of the gun battery that stood forward from here during the Civil war in 1645. Once the defensive need for the walls had gone in the 18th century, they became a fashionable parade and many gateways were replaced and towers pulled down or modified.