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:
- 12-Oct-1981
- List Entry Name:
- Chester Leadworks and Shot Tower
- Statutory Address:
- Chester Leadworks and Shot Tower, Leadworks Lane
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2001-04-12
- Reference:
- IOE01/05827/15
- Rights:
- © Dr John L. Wishlade. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1375860
- Date first listed:
- 12-Oct-1981
- List Entry Name:
- Chester Leadworks and Shot Tower
- Statutory Address 1:
- Chester Leadworks and Shot Tower, Leadworks Lane
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
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.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 06-Jun-2026 at 12:54:31.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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