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An Apollonaut travel guide
The place behind the zoo.
A Victorian house, a family’s idea and a conservation charity offer several ways into the story of Chester Zoo.
On this page
A family’s zoo
George Mottershead bought Oakfield Manor at Upton-by-Chester in 1930, and the zoo opened there on 10 June 1931. He wanted to keep animals without the traditional Victorian iron bars.
The Victorian house still stands at the heart of the zoo, where it is now The Oakfield pub.
A conservation charity
Chester Zoo is run by the North of England Zoological Society, a registered charity. Outside the main zoo, a nature reserve opened in 2018 and is free to enter.
Its habitats have grown in stages, from Spirit of the Jaguar in 2001 to Islands in 2015 and Heart of Africa in 2025.
A zoo of habitats
Today the zoo covers more than 130 acres, with its rangers giving animal talks through the day.
This history belongs to the place and the people who shaped it. The History page offers a longer introduction, and the timeline gives a short route through selected milestones.
Read at the source
Sources & further reading
Links lead to the original publishers.
