“Pic of the Week”, January 2, 2015: Chester, England

UK 176 – Chester – Half-timbered houses

The city of Chester in England has a history going back thousands of years.  It was an important garrison outpost of the Roman Empire and many Roman ruins are found in and around the city.  One of the reasons the Romans found the city appealing was because of its salt deposits.  Salt was important because it was rare and used to preserve and flavor food.  The world “salary” is derived from “salt” because Roman soldiers were paid, at least in part, with this valuable mineral.

What I remember most about the town, though, are its half-timbered homes.  Dozens and dozens of them, beautiful and elegant, usually white-washed with dark timbers like those seen in this photo.  Hundreds of years old, but …

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