This silent film (originally property of the Dolland Film Library in Croydon) is titled “A Tour in North Wales”, and was produced by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (L.M.S. Railway) to promote vacation trips as part of the “Holiday Series” of films. It was made in the 1930’s and shot throughout North Wales.

A portrait of John Dollond F.R.S. is shown at 0:13. A promotional tourist book “Holidays by LMS” is shown at 0:46. “Much has been written of North Wales. The romance, the poetry, and the humor of its people, the scenery where grandeur and loveliness meet and mingle” (0:59). “Along the Coastline, a chain of resorts offer their welcome. Inland are the unchanging mountains, the ancient Castles and the land of romance” (1:14). “The journey to North Wales takes the visitor through Chester, one of our oldest and most beautiful cities” (1:36). “Two thousand years of history built in wood and stone, its city walls once manned the 20th Roman Legion, Valeria Victrix,” (1:40). “The Roman occupation extended from A.D. 47 over three centuries – and Chester still retains the four principal streets” (2:33): Eastgate St (2:37), Northgate St (2:28) Bridge St. (2:56), and Watergate St. (3:01). “They meet together at the Cross, where the fine examples of 14th Century buildings and the Rows provide one of the city’s attractions” (3:10). The film shows the street where people are going about their business at 3:20. “Many of the houses are worthy of close inspection” (4:00). The film goes closer to the houses from 4:05 to 4:34. “The City Walls, some two miles in circumference, are complete and in perfect preservation” (4:35). The film shows the top of the City Walls at 4:43. “The most interesting of the Wall towers are Bonewaldesthornes, the Water Tower and King Charles Tower” (4:56). “Chester Cathedral, ancient in ecclesiastical history may be approached by the old gateway of St. Weberg Abbey” (5:41). “The film then shows the Cathedral” (5:52). “Built in A.D. 1093 by Hugh, Earl of Chest, careful restoration has preserved the beauty and magnificence of the Cathedral” (6:24). The inside of the Cathedral is shown at 6:33. “The Cloisters overlook the garden known as The Garth in the center of which is the well of the former Abbey” (6:37). “Chester Castle with its fine situation also contributes to the attractions of the City” (7:12). The Castle is shown at 7:19. “Of the original Building however, only the Agricola Tower now remains” (7:30). The Tower is shown at 7:40. “The Old Dee Bridge is a fine example of its kind and across it Charles the 1st marched on his way to Denbigh after defeat at Rowton Moor” (7:52). The Bridge is shown at 8:09. “Salmon fishing in the River Dee is one of the city’s most ancient survivals” (8:41). “From April to September the fishermen may be seen near the old Bridge” (9:12). “The fish are locally sent to neighboring towns” (9:51). “The Grosvenor Bridge is Chester’s modern roadbridge and is said to be the second largest stone span bridge in the world” (10:00). “Leaving Chester for the North Wales Coast, we see for the last time the Ancient Walls” (10:19). “For hundreds of years, pilgrims have visited the Shrine at St Winefride’s Well” (11:24). “St. Asaph, one of our smallest cities, claims great antiquity in ecclesiastical history” (11:46). “The Cathedral occupies the site of a monastery founded in 560 A.D.” (12:15). “Overlooking the beautiful Vale of Clwyd is Denbigh, a town of great interest for its historical associations” (12:34).“The Castle built by Edward the 1st was destroyed by Cromwell but the ruins present a fine example of a walled fortress” (13:06). “The Burgess Tower, Charles Tower and a dungeon may be seen” (13:44). “From its magnificent situation the Castle commands unique views of the surrounding country.” The film ends at 15:12.

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com