ancient Deva or Devana Castra
City and administrative district (pop., 2001: 118,207), seat of Cheshire county, England.
Located on the River Dee south of Liverpool , it is an active port and railroad centre. For several centuries after AD 60, Chester was the Roman "camp on the Dee," headquarters of the 20th Legion; well-preserved Roman walls remain. It was the last place in England to surrender to William the Conqueror (1070). It became an important port in the 13th14th centuries, trading especially with Ireland. From about the 14th century, it was the scene of the presentation of the mystery play s of the Chester cycle. The gradual silting of the Dee led to the city's decline, but in the 19th century railroad traffic renewed Chester's prosperity.