Chester Memories: Chester amphitheatre gets £300,000 rejuvenation

By Chester Chronicle on Nov 1, 09 10:53 AM in Before 1500

IMAGINE the scene 2,000 years ago as two gladiators hacked at each other in a fight to the death as the crowd clamoured to see blood and guts spilled, writes David Holmes.

Chester's amphitheatre was used for such gladiatorial combat as well as executions of criminals and the slaying of wild beasts.

Today's visitors are unlikely to get a flavour of this brutal form of Roman entertainment - the ancient monument simply looks like a hole in the ground covered with uninspiring gravel.

That's why Cheshire West and Chester, in partnership with Chester Renaissance, is spending £300,000 on a project to draw out the story of one of the city's most important tourist attractions.

Among the improvements will be a footbridge over the north entrance, with steps leading down from it so visitors can experience an authentic perspective as they enter the arena.

"People will get some idea what it was like in the Roman period," said city archaeologist Peter Carrington. "Walking into one of the main entrances, you can pretend to be the emperor or a gladiator or even a criminal!"

Mediterranean hues will enhance the visual experience with golden grit used to resurface the arena floor, low red sandstone walls on the footprint of the original walls and a blue grit footpath around the perimeter.

Perhaps the most controversial aspect is a proposal for a mural on the back wall which aims to create the illusion of a 360º amphitheatre as it would have been, with the possible depiction of a gladiatorial scene. A public consultation will be held in January to help shape this element although there is an acceptance "you can't please everyone".

Rita Waters, chief executive of Renaissance, said imaginative forms of interpretation would be key to making the amphitheatre accessible.

"There are a whole plethora of tools we are looking at using," she said.

Renaissance is also project-managing the rebuild of a collapsed section of the City Walls, where it had been hoped to install a temporary walkway to complete the circuit while allowing visitors to see the ongoing repair work.

But on-site issues mean it is not cost-effective.

To follow progress and see live pictures, visit the website.

The rebuilding work is due to be completed by April 2010.