Chester Weir, Grade I listed weir in Chester, England
Chester Weir is a sandstone structure that crosses the River Dee just upstream from the Old Dee Bridge in Chester, England. It holds back river water to maintain a steady level and stops tidal water from moving further inland.
The weir was built in 1093 on the orders of Hugh Lupus, the first Earl of Chester, to power mills belonging to the Benedictine abbey of St Werburgh. It was modified and reinforced over the following centuries but has remained in the same position ever since.
The weir still shapes how the River Dee looks and feels as it passes through Chester today. Rowers and walkers regularly use this stretch of river, and the sandstone crossing gives the waterfront a character that other parts of town lack.
The weir is easy to view from the riverbank, and the path along the Dee is flat and straightforward to walk. Visiting in daylight gives you the best sense of the structure and the water moving over it.
Chester Weir is the only place in the United Kingdom where a weir gate connects a river directly to a canal, in this case the River Dee to the Shropshire Union Canal. This small lock gate allows boats to move between the two waterways without leaving the river entirely.
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