Chester Shot Tower
On the outside, a handsome enough brick cylinder that resembles an extruded castle. It also looks like a factory chimney but is not: it was built so that drops of molten lead could be dropped from the top, which became spherical shot while falling to the bottom. The best part is inside, where the cylinder is a single space, punctuated but not interrupted by puny-looking metal stairs. Unlike a chimney, it has windows, which make the interior into a single strange room. Built in 1799, it is the oldest surviving and tallest shot tower in Britain.
England Culture & Tourism Route © Monika Simon Newbound 2020
Own or work here?