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Chester Leadworks and Shot Tower

Chester Leadworks and Shot Tower, Leadworks Lane

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II*
List Entry Number:: 1375860
Date first listed:: 11-Oct-1981
List Entry Name:: Chester Leadworks and Shot Tower
Statutory Address:: Chester Leadworks and Shot Tower, Leadworks Lane

User submitted image — Uploaded by Alan Marsh This photo may not represent the current condition of the site
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Date:: 2001-04-12
Reference:: IOE01/05827/15
Rights:: © Dr John L. Wishlade. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II*
List Entry Number:: 1375860
Date first listed:: 11-Oct-1981
List Entry Name:: Chester Leadworks and Shot Tower
Statutory Address 1:: Chester Leadworks and Shot Tower, Leadworks Lane

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: Chester Leadworks and Shot Tower, Leadworks Lane

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:: Cheshire West and Chester (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: SJ 41436 66704

Details

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 21 April 2022 to update text and reformat to current standards

SJ4166 1932-1/6/181

CHESTER CITY (EM) LEADWORKS LANE (East side) Chester Leadworks and Shot Tower

12/10/81

II*

Leadworks and shot tower, the works now largely storage. 1799 and later. Brick; slate roofs.

EXTERIOR: industrial workshop formerly of six bays, now three bays plus a higher west bay. The lower brickwork of south side to Chester Canal altered C20, with doorway and nine metal windows; gable clock, 1801, face to canal. The partly-glazed roofs are partly covered with sheet materials. The shot tower, the principal feature which justifies the star grading of this item, was built by Walkers Parker and Co. in 1799, primarily to provide lead shot for the Napoleonic wars. At the time of listing it was the only British shot tower to remain in use. It ceased operation in 2001. It is embraced by the workshops. Circular, 30 feet (9.1m) diameter at base and 20 feet (6.0m) diameter at crown, it is 168 feet (41.19m) high with an attached lightly clad steel-framed C20 lift-shaft.

INTERIOR: the shot-tower interior is intact with peripheral stone spiral stair; four round-arched windows, rising with the stair, to each turn.

HISTORICAL NOTE: the tower is important as evidence of the revolutionary process of shot production patented by William Watts in 1783.

(Associated Lead Manufacturers Trade Journal: Nichols DA: Chester's Shot Tower: London: 1980-).

Listing NGR: SJ4143666704

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:: 469839
Legacy System:: LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Nichols, D A, 'Associated Lead Manufacturers Trade Journal' in Chesters Shot Tower, (1980)

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.