Chester Society for Landscape History
Upper storeys of Chester’s iconic Rows (Photograph: Vanessa Greatorex)
Field trip to Aldersey Green (Photograph: Carol Sparkes)
Forthcoming Events
Saturday 31 May 2025
Field Trip (members only): Eastham Victorian Pleasure Gardens
Leader: David Mottram
Details: From the 1840s to the 1920s, Eastham Pleasure Gardens provided extensive attractions and entertainments for day trippers on the Liverpool to Eastham Ferry. Attractions included floral and zoological gardens, music, dancing and theatre productions, circus acts, a boating lake, water chute and a loop-the-loop railway ride. On this walk we will try to re-live these exciting days.
Booking essential. Details of how to book will be emailed to CSLH members in due course.
Thursday 3 July 2025: Chester Festival of Ideas
Venue: Chester Town Hall, Northgate Street,
Chester CH1 2HJ
Free public talks by members of Chester Society for Landscape History:
10am-11am: What’s in a Name? Understanding Place-Names and their Link with the Local Landscape
(Speaker: Dr Sharon Varey)
1pm-2pm: Magna Carta: Take Two
(Speaker: Emeritus Professor Graeme White)
3pm-4am: Unforgotten Children: The Moving Story of the Foundling Hospital at Chester
(Speaker: Dr Anthony Annakin-Smith)
More details: https://festivalofideas.chester.ac.uk/events/
Saturday 27 September 2025, 2pm
Visitors welcome
Lecture: Title tbc
Speaker: Dr Alan Crosby, British Association for Local History,
Editor of The Local Historian
Venue: All Saints Church Centre, Vicarage Road,
Hoole, Chester, CH2 3HZ
Admission: Members free, Visitors £4, Student Visitors £2
NB: For directions, please scroll to the bottom of the Centre’s own website and click on the text which says ‘Map and Directions’: https://allsaints.church/venue-hire/
What is Landscape History?
Landscape History is the study of how people have altered the landscape through time.
It seeks to explain the historical significance of the buildings, earthworks, flora and other physical features which are our common heritage. It embraces aspects of history, archaeology, architecture, geography, geology, botany and other disciplines.
“The English landscape itself, to those who know how to read it aright, is the richest historical record we possess.” – W.G. Hoskins, The Making of the English Landscape (1955).
Picks of the Week
Here are some links to online landscape history resources recently recommended by our Information Officer and other members:
Effigies and tomb chests of Cheshire churches
YouTube video with optional subtitles. Lasts just over 14 minutes.
https://www.chesterlandscapehistory.org.uk/wp-admin/post.php?post=3577&action=edit
Why dandelions are a crucial feature of the landscape
They may be the bane of uptight gardeners intent on ‘perfect’ lawns and ‘weedless’ flowerbeds, but dandelions are ecosystem champions. More than 200 species of insect benefit from heir resilience and ability to withstand heat, urban environments and lawnmower blades. Their yellow flowers provide over 90% of the nectar and 80% of the pollen consumed by pollinators, and their leaves are a favourite food of rabbits.
https://theconversation.com/how-dandelions-conquered-concrete-to-bring-nature-back-to-cities-254849?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20for%20April%2030%202025%20-%203358634253&utm_content=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20for%20April%2030%202025%20-%203358634253+CID_a9ce4b21d735e3abfc3f30d36236292f&utm_source=campaign_monitor_uk&utm_term=How%20dandelions%20conquered%20concrete%20to%20bring%20nature%20back%20to%20cities
Click on the blue text at the end of this sentence for links to previously recommended online resources