The Red Lion is situated on Northgate Street, a road that is steeped in over 2000 years of history. In the year 79, Chester was founded as a Roman fort under the name 'Deva Victrix'. Chester's four main roads, Eastgate, Northgate, Watergate and Handbridge, all follow routes laid out at this time. Northgate itself was registered as a Grade I listed building in 1955. The present red sandstone structure stands on the original northern Roman entrance to Chester. It was built in 1810 to replace a simple rectangular tower from the medieval period.