Barrels, Broomsticks and Witch Trials: A Chester Walking Tour
Buy for a Group
Reviews
About the Tour
About the Tour
Chester’s medieval streets witnessed real witch trials and barrel-dunkings centuries ago, but today they’re home to a different kind of magic.
On this family walking tour, you’ll follow the enchanted adventures from Evelyn Winter’s children’s book The Chester Witches, where thirteen-year-old Winona Wren and her spell-casting Granny transform the city’s dark history into whimsical storytelling wonderment.
You’ll start at Chester High Cross, where four medieval streets converge, and follow an enchanted barrel’s chaotic path down Eastgate Street. You’ll pass beneath the iconic Eastgate Clock, wind through the Roman Amphitheatre, and discover how a mischievous barrel once flattened the mayor’s podium and sent enchanted flapjacks into song.
You’ll continue along The Groves riverside promenade where Granny Wren’s magical market boat once bobbed, and to Billy Hobby’s Well, where maidens wished for husbands. The tour ends atop Barrel Well Hill, once the execution site called Gallows Hill, where you’ll gaze down toward the River Dee to imagine the legendary barrel-dunking scene.
On this 90-minute tour, you’ll have a chance to:
- Stop at the 1643 Ye Olde Boot Inn, Chester’s oldest pub, where barrel-rolling chaos began in the story
- Walk through the 700-year-old Chester Rows, medieval covered walkways possibly designed as broomstick parking bays
- Discover the coffin mysteriously wedged into St John’s Church ruins’ stone archway
- Hear stories of talking tea cosies, theatrical squirrels, and Chester’s real 1653 witch trials that condemned three women to death
- Explore Grosvenor Park, where retired witches and wizards supposedly live disguised as squirrels
This playful adventure blends children’s literature with Chester’s authentic history, perfect for families and book fans alike.
Tour Producer
Tour Producer
The Evelyn Winters Adventure
For more than 36 years, I have lived in the beautiful, history‑rich city of Chester, a place of Roman walls, crooked lanes, and hidden stories that continue to shape my work. Over the past 15 years, I have written and published children’s books filled with mischievous, imaginative characters, from shrinking giants to dancing dolls and the occasional delightfully fragrant oddball, all inspired by Chester’s quiet magic. My stories are created to help young readers explore history, kindness, and imagination.
In 2024, my creative work received national recognition when I was selected as a Small Business Sunday winner by Dragon’s Den entrepreneur Theo Paphitis, an achievement that highlighted the magical experiences I create for families, schools, and visitors to Chester.
Alongside my writing and audio tours, I am a trained IT teacher, recognised by Ofsted as Grade 1, sharing digital skills and creative learning through my YouTube channel, The Evelyn Winters Adventure. My work brings together education, storytelling, and local history, helping families and travellers discover Chester’s mysteries in engaging, accessible, and memorable ways.
Preview Location
Preview Location
Location 11
The Floating Well at Queens Park Suspension Bridge
Just beneath this very bridge, The Floating Well bobbed gently on potion-scented currents, Granny Wren's market boat, famously made ... Read More
View locations and route
How VoiceMap Works
Major Landmarks
Major Landmarks
-
Chester Cross
-
Ye Olde Boot Inn
-
Eastgate Clock
-
Chester Roman Amphitheatre
-
Parish Church of St John the Baptist
-
Queens Park Bridge
-
Billy Hobby's Well
-
The Boathouse & Riverside Rooms
-
Barrel Well Hill
Getting There
Getting There
Route Overview
-
Start location46 Watergate St, Chester CH1 2LA, UK
-
Total distance2km
-
Final locationA51, Chester CH3, UK
-
Distance back to start location1km
Directions to Starting Point
Start: Chester Cross 46 Watergate St, Chester CH1 2LA
Chester Cross is the central junction where four historic streets meet: Watergate Street, Eastgate Street, Bridge Street, and Northgate Street. It’s a real landmark in the heart of the city, and it’s where magical paths often cross and curious things tend to happen.
Recommended Car Park: Little Roodee Car Park, Grosvenor Rd, Chester CH1 1SL
Opening hours: Monday - Sunday: 24 hours
In the heart of Chester lies the Little Roodee Car Park, a favourite landing spot for broomsticks, motorhomes, and the occasional runaway pumpkin coach. It’s the perfect place to park your magical transport before our journey rolls to a close at Barrel Well Hill in the Boughton area of Chester. The gates of the Little Roodee Car Park shall open wide to welcome you into its picturesque embrace whether you arrive by car, coach, motorcycle, or moon-powered caravan.
Show Directions
Tips
Tips
Places to stop along the way
If you’re chasing chills and giggles on your magical Chester walk...
Ye Olde King’s Head: Seek out this famously haunted inn for a proper spooky vibe; creaky floorboards, ghostly whispers, and maybe a spectral pint or two. It’s the perfect stop for brave witches and curious ghost-hunters.
Grosvenor Park: If you’ve got little spell-casters in tow, head to this leafy haven where there’s a brilliant playground and plenty of magical squirrels rehearsing their next nut-themed pantomime. Ideal for a picnic, a potion break, or a squirrel-led scavenger hunt.
The Boathouse: Sit on Chester's only floating beer garden, where great cask ales sparkle in the sun and British pub food warms the soul. It’s the perfect spot to bring the family, tuck into a magical meal, and stay the night in one of their cosy pub bedrooms.
A spellbound thank‑you to Jeff Price Photography, a local photographer whose enchanted lens provided some of the images woven into this tour’s magic.
Best time of day
Daytime
If you’re an early bird or a midday wanderer, daytime is your moment. Chester feels like a living storybook: the cobbles sparkle, the witches behave (well… mostly), and the whole city buzzes with cheerful, giggly mischief. Perfect for families, silliness, and spotting magical oddities hiding in plain sight.
Tip: If it’s wet, you might want to wear your witch's boots (wellies). Some streets adore spotty wellies so much they try to lull them to sleep. If your boots suddenly feel unusually relaxed, give them a gentle wiggle and remind them it’s a walking tour, not a nap.
Night-time
If you prefer things a little more mysterious, wait for twilight. As the light fades, shadows stretch, whispers stir, Chester reveals its spookier side. But after sunset, the cobbles creak, the spells awaken, and the giggles turn ghostly… if you dare.
Tip: You’ll definitely need a torch to uncover a hidden spot nearby where the darkness is so thick even the ghosts tiptoe around it.
Precautions
As you navigate the charming streets of Chester, keep an eye out for quirky cobbles, twisty pathways, and some narrower spots. It’s all part of the adventure! To conquer this terrain like a seasoned explorer, make sure your footwear is up to the challenge. Most of this tour is flat terraine.
Now, Chester’s streets might throw you a curveball with their uneven surfaces, so take it slow if walking isn’t your forte. And if you’re in a wheelchair or scooter, the tour directs you to steps leading from St Johns Church down to the River Dee and the Queens Park Suspension Bridge. But the nearest accessible route to the river is through Grosvenor Park which is open between 8am - 8pm in the summer and 8am - 6pm in the winter. Please plan ahead of your tour.
To make sure your city adventure goes off without a hitch, it might be best to dodge race days, as they can make city access challenging, or you might even choose to combine the two! For race fixtures, visit the Chester Race Course website: https://www.chester-races.com/race-days/fixtures/
For the full magical experience, read The Chester Witches storybook, available on Amazon, before taking this tour.
Get The App
Get The App
Last Updated
Questions and Reviews
