A Dark History of Chester

Chester's history goes back 2,000 years, from the Romans to recent times, and in the course of the centuries the city has witnessed many dark deeds and events. Chester's historical buildings and streets were part of this history and in this book local writer and tourist guide David Atkinson investigates the darker side of Chester's past. With help from experts in their fields, he tells stories concerning Chester Cathedral's stones, the famous Rows and pubs and churches in the city, with ghosts, poltergeists and an apparent visit by the devil. The entertainment in the amphitheatre played an often brutal role in Roman Chester, public executions were held in the city with heads displayed on spikes, the local museum has a spooky side to its doll collection, and plague and pestilence were regular visitors. These tales and many more will be of interest to all those who are visiting Chester for the first time, have lived in the city or know it well. Join David for a walk on the dark side.

David Atkinson is a freelance writer with over 20 years of bylines from The Telegraph to BBC History magazine. He is a Green Badge Tourist Guide to his home city of Chester and leads walking tours of the city including his Dark Chester tour. He sits on the content group for the Chester Heritage Festival. He is also Visiting Lecturer at the University of Chester and speaks on dark tourism for national media.