Morgan's Mount

Morgan's Mount
Chester city walls and Morgan's Mount
LocationChester, Cheshire, England
Coordinates53°11′36″N 2°53′45″W / 53.19328°N 2.89588°W / 53.19328; -2.89588
OS grid referenceSJ 402 666
Built1645
Listed Building – Grade I
Designated28 July 1955
Reference no.1376134
Location in Cheshire

Morgan's Mount is a structure extending from the north side of the city walls of Chester, in Cheshire, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building.[1]

History

It was constructed in 1645 during the siege of Chester in the Civil War as an observation platform and gun emplacement.[1][2] After the Battle of Rowton Heath in September of that year, a gun on the Mount was destroyed by Parliamentary forces.[3] It was originally named the Raised Square Platform, and is said to have been named later after the Royalist Captain William Morgan, or his son, Edward.[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.[4]
[Hide/Show the list of Gates, Towers and Wall sections]
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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

Architecture

The Mount is constructed in red sandstone coursed rubble, and is rectangular in shape. It contains a chamber at the level of the walkway, with barred openings to the west and the north. Two flights of five steps lead up to the roof, which has a stone parapet surmounted by an iron railing. One of the steps has a reused Victorian gravestone. At the northeast corner of the roof is an L-shaped stone bench. Providing good views of the welsh hills beyond.[1]

Sculpture

At the base of the tower is a life size sculpture representing the civil war cannon destroyed.

See also

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d Historic England, "Morgans Mount, Chester (1376134)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 15 July 2012
  2. ^ Ward 2009, p. 68.
  3. ^ Ward 2009, p. 70.
  4. ^ "The walls, towers, gates and posterns of the City of Chester". Historic England. Retrieved 19 November 2025.

Sources

  • Ward, Simon (2009), Chester: A History, Chichester: Phillimore, ISBN 978-1-86077-499-7