Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 1.djvu/563

Rh CHESTER. 653 CHESTER. saw, from the Phoenix Tower, the defeat of his own army on Rowton Heath. Chester is situated on a bend of the river Dee, and is built on red sandstone rock. The plan af the town is commonly compared with that of a Roman bamp, the streets intersecting each other at right angles ; and it is supposed that modern Chester covers the feamo ground that was occupied by the 20th Legion without change of position, into the English city. In the centre of the city formerly stood " The High Cross,' ' n-hii'h was removed after the surrender of Chester to .lie parliamentary army. At this point the four princi- ts converge. A portion of the cross itself is still to N seen in the grounds of Netherley House. Theappear- mce of the streets especially of Old Bridge-street and Watergate-street is very picturesque; the houses are 711 /rally ancient, and are ornamented with the gables f tin: 16th century. The most remarkable feature in hi' architecture is "The Rows," and this feature would _>e unique, did not Berne, in Switzerland, share it with These Rows constitute the ordinary trottoirs, md are level with the first-floors of the houses ; the ' /cond-lloor projects over them and protects them from . In the Rows are the principal shops. The
 * he Yiilcxs i'ictri.r; and that the Roman camp has grown,
 * ro cut into the red sandstone rock to the depth of

kbout 10 feet, the Rows marking the natural level. It has "jt/n argued that this fact is additional evidence of the itiiiian origin of the city that where the Rows are re formerly vestibules, and that the shops be-
 * e:tth. the Rows were crypta and apotfieae. The old walla

i Chester are among the most perfect in England ; they ire more than If miles in circuit. Though no longer a 11, they afford an excellent promenade to the in- labitants. Two persons can walk abreast on them in .ho narrowest part, and they command a pleasing view, inrluiling the Welsh hills, Wirrall (as the peninsula be- .ween the Dee and the Mersey is called), the Beeston ek, and the course of the Dee. There were formerly . veral towers at intervals along the walls, each within ijw-sliut of its neighbour; but of these only two now emain the Phcenix Tower and the Water Tower. The Water Tower, called also the New Tower, was built in I.j22. Kings were fixed into the masonry, to which ships TO fastened before the sands had made their last in- i m the channel of the Dee. The tower is, as it monument to the memory of the former com- I irosperity of Chester. It has long been impos- sible for any vessel to approach it, and it is nownot even at .he water's edge. The Phoenix Tower was formerly called Kewton Tower, and takes its present name from the
 * rest of the Company of Painters and Stainers who met

in it. The Phoenix Tower is the last which remains of i.nt fortifications, the Water Tower having been built at a later date and for a different purpose. Ches- ter has four gates, marking the four points of the com-
 * ass East-gate, North-gate, Bridge-gate, and Water-

cate. The East-gate was the termination of the great Vatling Street road, or the Via J)evana, as it was here
 * alled ; it was rebuilt in 1769, and has a principal arch,

ihove which appear the arms of the Grosvenors, and two posterns for foot-passengers. The North-gate was rebuilt in 1810 ; it was formerly used as the city prison. The Bridge-gate was rebuilt in 1782 at the expense of -he corporation. Water-gate was rebuilt in 1775, and .ho funds were provided from the ancient murage duties. The Dee is crossed by four bridges : by the Old Bridge, jf seven arches, which is of great antiquity, but has been several times rebuilt ; by the new bridge, to which the Queen (then Princess Victoria) gave the name of Gros- venor Bridge, on the occasion of her visit to Eaton Hall ; by the Suspension Bridge, which has been still tore recently erected ; and by the iron girder bridge of be Chester and Holy head railway. There is easy
 * -"mmunication by railway with all parts of the king-

1 ->m, and the station is one of the most convenient i'-~th the exception of one tower, modern ; it is built of tone, and was designed by Harrison. It serves the dif- t-rcnt purposes of county gaol, barracks, shirehall, assize court, and county court. The shirehall is of noble proportions, and is approached by a portico resem- bling the Acropolis at Athens. It is semicircular in form, and is supported by twelve Ionic columns. Of the other buildings the principal are the common hall, in which are portraits of the Grosvenor family, and in which the sessions are held; the county lunatic asylum, which stands on an eminence in the Bath- road, and is well designed ; the theatre, formerly St. Nicholas' chapel ; and the engine-house, built by the Duke of Onnond, in 1680. There is much to in- terest the antiquary in Chester, both in the buildings of the city itself, and in the Roman remains which have been discovered ; amongst the latter are altars, coins, fibulas, inscribed stones and tiles, a statue of f 'alias Ar- mata, and a hypocaust. Chester has now no great com- mercial importance, though it had a considerable trade both before and after the Conquest. The navigation of the Deo is difficult, and the advantages possessed by Liverpool and the Mersey render rivalry impossible. There is, nevertheless, a considerable number of sailing vessels and steamers belonging to the port. Chester pos- sesses an iron ship-building yard, tobacco- and snuff manu- factories, tan-yards, smelting- works, timber-yards, corn- mills, and saw-mills. Ropes, sails, whips, fringe, thread, tobacco-pipes, and woollen hose are also manufactured. Chester, even in Saxon times, had its trade companies. After the Conquest it received charters from the earls of Chester and from the kings Edward I., Edward III., Richard II., and Henry VII. In 1242 a mayor was elected by the principal citizens assembled in a guild. The power of the corporation seems to have grown somewhat des- potic, for in the reign of Henry VIII., the mayor, whoso name was Gee, issued an order regulating the dresses of the women and their diet, prohibiting any women be- tween the ages of 14 and 40 from waiting in any hos- telry. In 1506 the city of Chester was constituted a county of itself by a charter of Henry VII., which was rescinded in 1660, but restored by Charles II. in 1664. It is divided into five wards, and the corporation consists of a mayor, recorder, sheriff, 24 aldermen, and 20 common councilmen. The mayor is elected for one year, the aldermen for three. The recordership is in the gift of the crown. The sheriff is chosen by the town- council. The borough of Chester has returned two mem- bers to parliament since 1541. Under the Reform Act the limits of the borough include the six parishes of the city, and portions of three other parishes, the cathedral precincts, the castle, gaol, and barracks, with Hand- bridge, Spittle Boughton, and part of Great Boughton. Assizes and sessions are held at Chester, which is the head of the Welsh Circuit, as well as of the County Court and Excise districts. Chester is also a military station, the headquarters of the Cheshire militia, and the seat of a Poor-law Union, which is co- extensive with the city. The municipal and parliamentary limits are also co-extensive. The population is 31,110, of whom 14,898 are males, and 16,212 are females. According to the census returns of 1861, there are 5,971 inhabited houses, 245 unoccupied, and 76 in process of building. The population appears to bo steadily on the increase. The diocese of Chester is in the province of York. It was created by Henry VIII. after the dissolution of the abbey of St. Werburgh, which was one of the wealthiest monastic establishments in England. Though formerly of greater extent, it now includes only Cheshire and the deanery of Warrington. It is divided into two arch- deaconries Chester and Liverpool and comprises nine deaneries. The bishop has -a fixed income of 4,500. The chapter consists of the dean, the two archdeacons, a chancellor, 6 prebendaries, 4 honorary canons, and 4 minor canons. Chester Cathedral is remarkable for its anti- quity and its associations, but, externally at least, is of no extraordinary beauty. It has grown out of the church of St. Werburgh' s Abbey, to which additions have been a.jain and again made, at different times and in diffe- rent styles. St. Werburgh may be considered the patron saint of Chester. She was the daughter of Wulfhere, King of Mercia, and her body, which was looked upon 4 B