The ancient name of this city, it is said, was Neomagus, so called from Magus, son of Samothis, son of Japhet, its founder, 240 years after the flood; an assertion which is fully authenticated, and places it on a line of antiquity with any other city in the universe. Its second name, was Caerlleon, so called from Leon Vawr, or Gawr, who, as some writers say, was a giant in Albion, and one of its restorers; this conjecture, it is probable, may in some measure have originated from the circumstance of a human skeleton of prodigious size (some say nine feet in length) being dug up in Pepper-street.

Upon the settlement of the Britons here it was next called Caerleil, and afterwards Caerleir, because these two British kings were enlargers and beautifiers of it, according to Stone and others. Before the Romans arrived here, it is probable this city was called Genuina or Gunia, as appeared from an inscription, on a votive altar, dug up here, and dedicated to Jupiter Taran, i.e. in the British language, the Thunderer; which language it is likely the Romans might make use of in this inscription, to convey to posterity an idea of their conquests over the Britons.

After the Romans had fixed here the conquering legion, Valens or Valens Victrix, it was then stiled Caerlhon, Caerlegion, or, as it is otherwise called, Ardourdwy, and Caer, by way of excellence, as Camden observes, to distinguish it from the other Caerleon, or Caerusk, in South Wales. The Latin historians style it Cestria, from a camp which the Romans had fixed there. In latter ages it was stiled Legan Chester, and Lege Chester; but in these days West Chester, or Chester. By Ptolemy it is sometimes called Oxcellum, Uxcellum, Plegimundam, and Leogria, or Locrinus land, of which the three first denote no more, as Hollingshed observes, than a rock, or place of strong defence; and which historians observe, was the boundary of King Locrinus’s kingdom, westward: this was the chief city of the Ordivices, before the coming in of the Romans, as is affirmed by most of our ancient historians, which people were the inhabitants of North Wales.

The antiquity of this city is still more conspicuous from the stately remains of its ruins, which, Dr. Leigh says, were discovered at the commencement of the present century: these he describes as subterraneous vaults in cellars, through free-stone rock; the entrances into which were raised into several angles, and, from the description of the catacombs in Italy, it may reasonably be concluded they were made for the same purpose. They sufficiently demonstrate the greatness of the Roman power at Chester, signifying that they were resolved not only to keep incorporated while living, but also to preserve their very ashes together.

In these passages have been found many Roman coins, which more fully prove these vaults to have been the habitations of heathens, as has been observed in various other monasteries. From a coin of Geta, that was found, having the inscription of

" COL, DIVANA 20 VICT."

it appears Chester was made a Roman colony, by Geta, when the southern parts of Britain were under his care, at the time his father, the emperor Severus, and his brother Caracalla, were advancing into Caledonia.

Before the end of the seventh century Chester was the see of a bishop, whose pastoral care extended over a part of the Mercian dominions. In the days of Arthur, grammar, philosophy, and the learned languages, were taught here. Coldway and Cadwan, two British kings, having defeated the Saxons, were crowned here; and a parliament was held in this city by the former.

Ethelwolf had the ceremony of his coronation performed here. It is likewise said, that Henry the Fourth, emperor of Germany, who married Maud, grand-daughter of William the Conqueror, and had imprisoned his father, the pope, and the cardinals, withdrew himself from the world, and lived a hermit, unknown as to his real character, at Chester, ten years; but death approaching, he discovered himself, and lies buried here.

When the great survey was taken by William the First, the earls, who had all the city, except what belonged to the bishop, paid gelt, or tribute, for 50 hides of land, 40 houses, and seven mint masters.

That it was a place of considerable importance in the time of the Romans cannot be denied; as, from them, it is confessed, originated an art, which has for ages distinguished the county of Chester from all others, that of making cheese, distinguished by the name of Cheshire cheese.

This ancient and pleasant city stands upon the borders of the river Dee, on the west side of the county, distant 20 miles south-east from the main sea; about 20 miles east from Denbigh; 40 north from Shrewsbury; 46 north-west from Stafford; 76 north-west from Derby; and 75 south from Lancaster. Its lat. 53 deg. 15 min. north; and long. 3 deg. 2 min. west from London: its distance from the latter city being 182 miles.

The inhabitants of Chester may be said to enjoy advantages which no other place of equal magnitude can boast of. Peculiarly favoured by Providence, the situation is as pleasing as the air is salubrious; as a proof of the latter the yearly bills of mortality furnish us with numberless instances of longevity. The population in Chester is said to be about 15,000 souls, and yet is increasing: a strange, on his first entrance into the city, might suppose that it is but thinly inhabited, the enveloped situation of the shops, which are mostly covered by rows, tending to hide a considerable portion of the people from the eye. Its foundation is chiefly on a dry sandy stone rock; a circumstance which may also contribute to its salubrity, and the longevity of its inhabitants

Mr. Pennant, whose respectability as a tourist, and eminence as an author, are of the first rank, very concisely describes it in the following words; "The city is of a square form, which evinces the origin to have been Roman, being in the figure of their camps, with four gates forming the four points, four principal streets, and a variety of lesser, crossing the others at right angles, dividing the whole into lesser squares. The walls are built on a soft free stone rock, high above the circumjacent country," and are said to have been built by the Mercian lady Ethelfleda. The structure of the four principal streets is without a parallel; they run direct from east to west, and north to south, and were excavated out of the earth, and sunk many feet beneath the surface. The carriages are driven far below the level of the kitchens, on a line with ranges of shops, over which passengers walk in galleries, which the inhabitants call the rows, secure from wet or heat. In the rows are likewise ranges of shops, and steps to descend into the street.

Such is the antiquity of Chester that the stranger who can pass through, without bestowing on it some little share of attention, must have an incurious eye indeed. The exploring hand of time has at different periods presented to the antiquarian some valuable treasures; among these is a Roman altar, now in the possession of Mr. Dyson, erected by Flavius Longus, tribune of the victorious 20th legion, and his son Longinus, in honour of the emperors Dioclesian and Maximinian; another, discovered in 1633, (now at Oxford) inscribed to Jupiter; also a statue of Mithras, in the possession of the late Mr. Prescott, was discovered here; and a beautiful altar, with other Roman antiquities, were found in the year 1779. The coins of Vespasian, Constantius, Trajan, Hadrian, &c. have at different times been found; and there is little doubt but Chester is still rich in records of antiquity, which the researches of posterity may possibly discover.

In the 24th year of the last century, the remains of the illustrious Hugh Lupus, (first earl of Chester) were discovered in the chapter-house of the Cathedral, encased with stone, where the body has lain, in undisturbed security, upwards of 600 years; it was wrapped in leather, under which was the remnant of a shroud; at the head of the coffin was a stone, in the form of a Roman T, with the head of a wolf, in allusion to his name, cut thereon. His sword of dignity is now in the Museum, and if we may measure the prowess of the earl by the length of his sword, he must have been invincible indeed, the blade being little less than four feet long, and so very ponderous as to require more than a moderate share of strength even to brandish it. This great personage’s court was princely; his parliament consisted of eight barons, who attended his person; every baron had four esquires, every esquire one gentleman, and every gentleman one valet. Such were the links in his chain of dignity. In the hands of the barons was reposed the power of life and death.

Hugh Lupus was succeeded by his son Richard, who, after governing 19 years, met a watery grave in his passage from Normandy; Richard’s successor was Ranulph, his cousin, who died at Chester, in the year 1129, and was succeeded by the heroic Ranulph the Second, who, after a government of 25 years, fell a sacrifice to poison, in 1153. His remains were interred at Chester, and Hugh, his son, took the reins of government after him, which he held 28 years. After him the earldom was possessed by his son Ranulph, whose benevolence acquired him the title of Ranulph the Good. The cloud of superstition, which darkened the horizon of those times, overshadowed the native goodness of this earl’s heart, and he entered the field with all that fury and fervor, which fanaticism alone can inspire; hence the holy wars proclaimed alike his prowess and his folly. Beeston Castle was erected by this earl.

At the demise of this earl, which happened in the year 1232, John, surnamed Scott, mounted the chair of state; he married Helen, daughter of Llewelyn ap Iorwerth, prince of North Wales, from which alliance no issue arising, at his death, (which is said to have been prematurely effected by poison) an extinction happened in the line of succession, and Henry the Third annexed the earldom to the crown, in the year 1237. From his hands it was transferred, by gift, to his son Edward, afterwards king Edward the First. The chance of war next gave it to Simon de Montford, who took both Henry and his son prisoners at the battle of Lewes, in the year 1264; their liberations were purchased by the resignation of the earldom of Montford, whose brow was adorned with this laurel of conquest but a very short period, as he resigned his honours with his life, at the battle of Evesham, not twelve months after. It next devolved to Edward of Caernarvon, son of Eduard the First, who enjoyed it 19 years, when his son, Edward of Windsor, succeeded. A period of 11 years had barely elapsed, when Edward the Black Prince, took the reins of government, From him it devolved to his son, Richard of Bordeaux. who, in the 21st year of his reign, erected Chester into a principality; an honour which was canceled in the first year of Henry the Fourth.

His son, afterwards the great Henry the Fifth, (who was the scourge of France) next succeeded; and after him Henry the Sixth, whose life was cruelly violated and taken, after the battle of Tewkesbury.

In the year 1471, Edward the Fifth, (eldest-son of Edward the Fourth), was created earl of Chester; but he with his brother Richard (duke of York) fell by that ambitious monster, Richard the Third; whose only offspring, Edward, was next created earl in the year 1483; the subsequent year, however, putting a period to his life, Arthur (son of king Henry the Seventh) was next created, who was succeeded by his brother Henry, in the year 1504.

A long period was suffered to elapse ere the next earldom took place, which was in the person of Henry Frederic Stuart, son of James the First, in 1610; he dying without issue, Charles, his brother, succeeded, in 1616, afterwards Charles the First, who, 14 years after, transferred the earldom to his son Charles, afterwards Charles the Second.

A period of more than 80 years elapsed, ere the next earldom was created; which was not till the present illustrious House of Hanover ascended the throne of the kingdom; when, in 1714, George, son of George the First, succeeded; and after him in 1728, Frederic, our second George’s eldest son; in his hands it remained till the year 1750, when his present majesty succeeded to it; and in 1762, it was translated to George Augustus Frederick, prince of Wales, his eldest son, the present earl.Stolen from Fore-bears

After this account of the earls, we shall revert to the history of this ancient city; which has, at different periods, been the seat of many remarkable events.

Here it was that the Caledonian king, Malcolm the Fourth, in 1159, ceded to our second Henry all the lands that the fortune of war had wrested from the crown of England.

In the year 1255 Chester experienced all the horrors cf warfare: Llewelyn ap Gryffydd, prince of Wales, invaded it with an arm of deselation, carrying fire and sword to its very gates; and such is the revolution of things, this city was selected by Edward the First, as the place for Llewelyn to do him homage; that prince, however, consistent with the native ambition of his mind, spurned at the command; but the refusal ended with his own ruin, and the loss of his principality; for in 1300, Edward of Caernarvon received here the final acknowledgement of the Welsh to the sovereignly of the English crown.

Chester was the favourite city of Richard the Second, who honoured it with his presence in 1397; and two years afterwards he was lodged close prisoner in the castle, which had been seized into the hands of our fourth Henry, who canceled the lives of several of Richard’s adherents and favourites.

Chester has, at several periods, been honoured with the presence of royalty; in the year 1459, Henry the Sixth, with Queen Margaret, and her son Edward, paid a visit here; and, as a small, but grateful, tribute of respect, to those gentlemen of the county, who were attached to her cause, she presented them with small silver swans.

In the year 1493, Henry the Seventh and his queen, graced the city with their presence. In 1617, Henry Button, Esq mayor, had the honour of presenting James the First with a cup, beautifully gilt, and in it 100 jacobins of gold, as a rich mark of the city's attachment to his crown and person.

No memorable incident occurred from this period till the reign of Charles the First, when, in consequence of the loyalty of its inhabitants to that monarch, Chester was besieged by the parliament forces; and such were the distresses of the unfortunate citizens, that they were driven to the sad alternative of eating the flesh of horses, dogs, and cats: nor did they surrender, notwithstanding this shocking necessity, till they had procured terms from their besiegers that did honour to the spirit and valour of the citizens. This surrender happened on the third of February, 1645-6. Forty-five years after, in the year 1690, King William visited Chester; and, during the reign of this monarch, it was remarkable for having, a coinage of silver currency; at which time Chester was selected as one of the six cities in the kingdom, for the residence of an assay-master.

The stranger who has never seen the city-walls can entertain but a very faint idea of the convenience and pleasure which they afford: the circumference is one mile, three quarters, and 101 yards. For the excellent state of preservation in which they are kept we are indebted to the trading opulence and mercantile spirit of the gentlemen in the linen branch, belonging to our sister kingdom; a kind of murage duty, of twopence on even hundred yards of linen imported, being paid for the purpose. They were evidently intended as fortifications; time however razed its towers, so that only one remains, known by the name of Phoenix Tower, a situation remarkable for being the place where King Charles I. retired to see the battle of Rowton-moor, where his army, under Sir Marmaduke Langdale, was defeated by General Pointz. The views which the walls command are various and extensive, enriched with enlivening scenes, variegated landscapes, and delightful prospects. In short, no walk can be better calculated either for health or pleasure.

Three very handsome and spacious arches, at the east, west, and south entrances, have been all finished within these few years, and nothing remains but the erection of a similar arch at the north, to complete a uniformity much wanted. At the north gate stands the city goal.

The keeping of the gales was once reckoned so honourable an office that it was claimed by several noble families; as East-gate, by the Earl of Oxford; Bridge-gate, by the Earl of Shrewsbury; Watergate, by the Earl of Derby; North-gate, by the mayor the city. On the east side of the city is a postern, which was shut up by one of its mayors, because his daughter, who had been at stool-ball with some maidens in Pepper-street, was stolen and conveyed away through this gate; this has occasioned a proverb here, "When the daughter is stolen, shut the Pepper-gate." The city is well supplied with water from the river Dee by mills, and the water-tower, which is one of the gates of the bridge. The centre of the city, where the four streets meet facing the cardinal points, is called the Pentice, from whence there is a pleasant prospect of all four at once.

Edward the Black Prince was the person who prescribed the boundaries of the city; which extend, westward, from a spot called Iron-bridge, (on the Eaton road) across the Wrexham turnpike-road, down to the Leach; then crossing Saltney-marsh, near the second mile-stone, and the river, lead up to Blacon-point; and along the course of the old river, turning up to stone bridge, and along the brook side, cross the Parkgate road, and lead up to Beach-pool; and by the side of the brook, lead to Flookersbrook; then crossing the canal, and the two turnpike roads to London, lead down to the riverside, opposite to Iron-bridge; making, in the whole, about eight miles. The limits of the port of Chester are the end of Wirral; to which place the official duty of the city coroner extends.

In the centre of the city, near the junction of the four principal streets, is the cross, where St. Peter’s Church stands, supposed to be situated on the site of the Roman Praetorium: this cross is famous for being the annual scene of the exhibition of bull-baiting. It is no great length of time since the mayor and corporation used to attend in their official habiliments, at the Pentice (the seat of magistracy, and where the town office is kept), not only to countenance the diversions of the ring, but to participate in a sight of its enjoyments. A proclamation was also made by the crier of the court, the composition of which ran thus: "Oyez ! oyez ! oyez ! if any man stand within twenty yards of the bullring, let him take—what comes." After which followed the usual public ejaculation, for "the safety of the king and the mayor of the city when the scene commenced, and the dogs immediately fell to. The late Dr. Cowper is said to have had the merit, when mayor, of putting a stop to the attendance of the corporate body on those days; and Mr. Alderman Brodhurst, in his mayoralty, made a laudable but ineffectual effort to suppress this relic of barbarism.

The four principal streets are East-gate-street, Water-gate-street, Bridge-street, and North-gate-street. The first is large and spacious; the second rather narrow and contracted; the third, wide and airy; and the latter, in some parts, equally so. Such is the venerable appearance of many ranges of dwellings, that they may be said to present to the eye, as it were a model of every thing antique in the universe.— Where, in some places, new built houses are intermixed with old ones, the appearance is motley and grotesque: to see a modern mansion, just finished, standing between two gothic structures, the youngest probably no less than 200 years old, gives the "beholder an idea (if the allusion may be allowed) of the picture of a fine gentlemen of the present day, placed between the portraitures of a brace of beaus of the days of Queen Elizabeth.

Passing through the East-gate, you enter Fore-gate-street, which is about 572 yards in length; and, in general, 18 in breadth. From this street issue Cow-lane and Queen-street on the left, and John’s-street and Love-lane on the right. Queen-street has not been built many years, its situation is pleasant and airy; in it is a large well-built chapel, the place of worship of a sect of independents; also a reputable academy, for the education of youth.

Love-lane is celebrated for a manufacture of tobacco pipes. A little below Love-lane, not a great many years past, stood a strong postern-gate, called the Bars, dividing Foregate-street from Boughton; not far from which stands the Octagon, a chapel for Dissenters.

Boughton is a large and wide street, on the London road. A little beyond are Barrel-well, and the Cherry-gardens; the former containing an excellent cold bath, and the latter a delightful rural promenade, during the summer season.

At the opposite point of the city to the above is Watergate-street, which leads into Goss-lane, Crook's-lane, Trinity-lane, Weaver’s-lane, Lower-lane, and Nicholas-street. Crook’s-lane contains a Presbyterian chapel, erected in the time of the late Rev. Matthew Henry, of pious memory, early in the present century. Nearly opposite to Nicholas-street is his

Majesty’s custom house; and a little lower down is the New Linen-hall, erected by the Irish merchants, in the year 1778, containing 111 shops, inclosing a pleasant and spacious area. Near this place, on the opposite side of the way, was a religious house of Grey Friars, the date of which is in the reign of Henry the Eighth.

About twenty years ago, in a field contiguous to the Water-gate, where a range of well-built houses now stands, some labourers discovered, very little below the surface, the remains of a Roman hypocaust and sudatory, or sweating-bath, with a beautiful Roman altar, inscribed to Æsculapius. But the whole was unfortunately destroyed by the rude hand of ignorance before a drawing of them could be taken.

Immediately on passing through the Water-gate, you enter Crane street, the right side of which consists of new uniformly-arranged houses; on the left are some genteel dwellings, denominated, in allusion to their pleasant situation, Paradise-row.

Opposite to these is that beautiful piece of ground called the Roodee, where the races are annually run the first week in May; a diversion for which this spot is perhaps better calculated than any other in the kingdom, not a single yard of the view being lost by the spectator in any situation. The Roodee is remarkable for being the place of interment of an image of the Virgin Mary, with a very large cross, in the year 946. The place of the residence of this pious lady was in a Christian temple at Harwarden, in Flintshire, where, in those days of superstition, they used to offer up their orisons to this idol. To her they applied for relief in all their affliction; till at last it happened, while they were on their knees invoking her, that she fell upon the head of the governor of the castle’s wife, Lady Trawst, and killed her. For this offence the goddess was banished the place, and thrown on the sands of the river; whence she was carried away by the tide, and next day found near the place called Roodee; on which the idol was interred, with all due pomp, by the inhabitants of Chester, and a large stone erected over the grave, a memento of the ignorance of those days.

On the west side of the Roodee stands the Asylum for age and indigence, the House of Industry, which seldom contains less than 200 persons.

Nearly adjoining is the New River (cut through a large space of while sands, in 1735-6), which is navigable for vessels of 350 tons burthen. Here are excellent conveniences for ship-building, in which the artisans of Chester particularly excel. From the quays are exported large cargoes of that excellent cheese for which this country is so famous.

Northgate-street is about 440 yards long, the entrance into which was, till within some years ago, much incommoded by a projection of shops, which have, by voluntary subscription, been removed.— On the right of this stands the theatre-royal. No circumstance can evince the strange mutations to which things are liable more than this place, which was originally a chapel, dedicated to St. Nicholas, and devoted to religion; afterwards a common-hall, devoted to justice; next a warehouse, devoted to trade; and now a play-house, devoted to amusement.

The regular market for fish and vegetables is in the square opposite to the Exchange, where the supply, in general, is plentiful and tolerably reasonable. In that useful article, salmon, no market in the kingdom did some years ago excel it; indeed, such was the profusion of this valuable fish, that masters were often restricted, by a clause in the indenture, from giving it more than twice a week to their apprentices. The market is kept on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The Exchange is a large handsome pile, supported by five columns in the centre. It is 126 feet long and 46 broad; and has a row of shops on the west side. It was erected in the year 1698, during the mayoralty of Colonel Robert Whitley. The quarter sessions, and the annual election of city officers, are held here in a large commodious common-hall. The Exchange also contains a mansion-house, for the occasional entertainment of the corporate body, in which the winter assemblies for the tradespeople are held; here is also a well-chosen subscription library.

A little beyond the Exchange stands the three flesh-shambles, for the reception of country butchers, which occupy a considerable part of the street; upon the centre one is placed a cistern or reservoir of water (conveyed by pipes from the water works at the bridge), which supplies the dwellings in the Abbey-court, and the adjacent ones in that part of the city.

On the west side of the Shambles is Parsons-lane, or Princes-street, leading to a pleasant and airy range of building, called St. Martin's-in-the-Fields; opposite to which, adjoining to the wails, stands, in a most delightful and salubrious situation, the Infirmary, a very spacious and elegant building, erected in the year 1761, the comfortable retreat of disease and penury, from every part of the county, the city, and North Wales.

On the east of the shambles is the entrance into the Abbey-court; over the gateway of which is the register-office, where wills are deposited. The Abbey-court is a neat and pleasant square, with an obelisk in the centre, surrounded by a large circle of iron palisades; the houses regularly and Handsomely built; on the south side is the bishop's palace, a large stone pile, erected in the year 1753. The Gothic structure of St. Thomas's Chapel has been very judiciously taken down, and, on the site thereof, a spacious mansion is erected. The Abbey-street leads to the walls, and to the kale-yards: informer times this ground was the kitchen garden of the church.

Immediately on passing through the North gate, on the left, as you enter Further North-gate-street, stands the Blue-coat school; adjoining to which is the chapel, dedicated to St. John the Baptist. This seminary which receives a certain number of poor boys, furnishing them with education, board, and apparel, besides a small sum as an apprentice-fee, is a most exemplary institution, and as such meets with liberal support. There is also a Blue-School for girls, and a Green-cap-school for boys; which, in addition to the Sunday-schools, are all supported by voluntary subscription. Behind the Blue-coat school, are six alms-houses, each of which contains one old woman. On the opposite side of the street, stands the Bridewell, or house of correction.

Bridge-street is open and spacious; its length from the cross to the bridge is 553 yards. On the west side is Common-hall-lane, so called from being the place where the common-hall of the city once stood. Near the Plume of Feathers inn, in the above street, is a Roman bath, but the only part observable is the hypocaust, the form of which is rectangular, supported by 32 pillars, two feet, ten inches, and a half high, and about 18 inches distant from each other. Upon each is a tile, 18 inches square, and over them a perforated tile, two feet square; which appears over all the pillars, standing on a mortar floor spread over the rock. The smoke issued through a vent on the south side. Here is an antechamber, where the slaves attended to heat the place. The persons who used to participate in this warm enjoyment sat in an apartment above, called the sweating-chamber.

Lower down is White-Friars-lane, so called from a convent of Carmelites, or white friars, in St. Martin’s parish. On the opposite side of the way, a little lower down, is Pepper-street, which leads on the left to Newgate-street, and on the right to Nine-houses, and fo Duke-street. On the right of Lower Bridge-street, is Cuppin's-lane, a name derived from a cupping-house or bagnio being formerly therein, This leads to Martin’s-ash, also through Bunce-lane, to Glover-stone and the Castle.

In St. Martin’s parish was a convent of Benedictine nuns, dedicated to St. Mary; which fell in the general devastation of religious houses, in the year 1537.

Glover-stone is remarkable for separating the castle from the city, and is a part of the county, where; non-freeman may exercise their trades in undisturbed security. Here the bodies of unfortunate convicts are delivered into the custody of the city-sheriffs for execution: a custom accounted for only by tradition, that when the city, by Henry the Seventh’s charter, was made a county of itself, the citizens, to prevent any infraction of their territories, voluntarily took upon themselves this sad and melancholy office, rather than the county officers should exercise the least authority within their jurisdiction. Another tradition says, that a culprit was once rescued from the jaws of death, on his way to the fatal tree, by the citizens, for which this disagreeable task has been since inflicted upon their successors, by way of punishment.

The Castle consists of two wards, upper and lower; the entrance into each of which is strongly guarded by ponderous gates, having round bastions on each side; time having undermined the battlements of the upper ward, fronting the walls, they have been rebuilt. Here are convenient apartments and lodging rooms for the judges of the circuit, furnished at the expence of the city sheriffs. The Shire-hall (which was the state apartments of Hugh Lupus before-mentioned) is lofty and spacious, consistent with the hospitality and dignity of the first Norman earl. A considerable part of this hall is taken down.

Below the entrance of Castle-street is an ancient mansion, which is rendered memorable for being the residence of Charles the First, during the siege of the city.

Opposite to Castle-street is Clare-lane. On passing through the arch at the bottom of Bridge-street, you go over a bridge of seven arches, inconveniently narrow and contracted, when you enter a hand-bridge, styled by the Welsh, Tre Boeth, or Burnt Town; which leads on the right to Wrexham and Northop, and on the left to Eaton-doat.

In a field contiguous to Handbridge is a rock, on the front of which is cut, Dea Armigera, Minerva, with her bird and altar. This is said to be the spot where the palace of the ambitious Edgar stood, though not a vestige remains to confirm the assertion. From this part of the river the above monarch (in the year 973) had the singular felicity of being rowed, by eight subordinate and tributary kings, to the monastery of St. John the Baptist.

The cathedral stands on the east side of the Northgate-street; the reigns of Henry the Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth, are mentioned as the periods in which the greater part of this sacred edifice (now remaining) was erected.

Simon Ripley, chosen abbot in the year 1485, built the broad aisle. The abbey which gave birth to this see was of such antiquity as to have been a nunnery, more than 1100 years ago, founded by Wulpherus, king of the Mercians, for his daughter St. Werburgh; who took the veil, after living three years with her husband, Ceoliedus, in a state of vestal purity.

The buildings were next restored by Ethelfleda, of pious memory, and the nuns supplanted by a set of canons. These pieces of holy ordnance were, in their turn, discharged by Hugh Lupus; who placed

Benedictines, who were dissolved at the reformation by Henry the Eighth.

The neatness of the choir, and the Gothic appearance of the tabernacle work, have a pleasing effect on the eye. The bishop’s throne, which is superbly ornamented, is said to have been the ancient shrine of St. Werburg; it is encircled by a beautiful group of small images, intended to represent saints and kings of Mercia. Some of these, having been much defaced, were repaired some years ago, but in a most bungling manner.

Here are several elegant monuments, particularly one to the memory of Sir William Mainwaring, a young officer, who fell in defence of the city, during the siege. The broad aisle has of late been much enriched by the erection of a few monuments; among which is one to the memory of the late dean Smith; another to the memory of Mr. Ogden, surgeon; a third to the memory of Mr. Philips, an American loyalist; and a fourth, to the memory of the late Chancellor Peploe.

In the year 1787, the remains of Thomas Birchelseg, otherwise Lythellis, chaplain to King Edward the First, and abbot of this cathedral in 1291, were taken up in a lead coffin, near the altar in the choir, after having been in the earth 465 years! The appearance of the body evinced; that some endeavors had been used to preserve it from putrefaction, which partially succeeded, the legs, arms, head, and even the features of the face, appearing in an astonishing state of preservation.

Behind the choir is St. Mary’s chapel, where prayers are read at the hour of six every morning. Adjoining the entrance into this chapel stands a tomb, said to contain the remains of Henry the Fourth, emperor of Germany. The north transept is very spacious, and is the parish church of St. Oswald: a chapel of ease to this church stands more than four miles from Chester, On the north side of the broad aisle are the cloisters; in which is that beautiful and well finished edifice the chapter-house, where the bones of several earls and abbots lay in peaceful obscurity. It is 50 feet in length, 26 in width, and 35 in height. The supposition is, that it was erected by Randal Meschines, earl of Chester, who died in the year 1128. In the cloister is a flight of steps, which led to the dormitory, kitchen, and cellars, of the venerable monks.

Here is an excellent free-school for 24 boys, founded by King Henry the Eighth.

There are in this see, two archdeaconries, Chester and Richmond; it is a suffragan to York; and the diocese includes Cheshire and Lancashire, a part of Cumberland, Westmorland, Flintshire, and Denbighshire. It contains 256 parishes, 101 of which are impropriate. The bishopric is valued in the king’s books at 420l. 1s. 8d. and the tenths of the clergy amount to 4351. 12s. per annum. The first bishop of Chester was John Bird, in the year 1541.

The church of St. John Baptist stands without the walls, in a most delightful situation, on the east side of the city; it was once collegiate, and was founded by King Ethelred, in 689, in consequence of a visionary admonition to build it on the spot where he should find a white hind. The west side of the steeple now presents an imperfect figure of this legend. The church is a magnificent pile, and evidently of Saxon origin; there are no remains of the north and south transepts, and a great part of the east end is demolished by the fall of the centre tower. The chapel above the old choir (now the parish church) present melancholy pictures of the ravages of time; to the eye of the antiquary these ruins are a rich feast. Here is an anchorite’s cell, where Harold, after the defeat of Hastings, is said to have closed his eyes.

St. Peter’s church is in the centre of the city, and had, some time ago, a lofty spire steeple; the want of which, at present, makes a very naked appearance.

Trinity church stands in Watergate-street; the inside has been some years since enlarged, which has added much to its convenience and beauty. It has a handsome spire steeple.

St. Bridget's, though small, is neat and convenient, having undergone at different times, several considerable improvements. It is situated on the west side of Bridge-street.

St. Michael’s is situated exactly opposite St. Bridget’s; a circumstance which gives them the appellation of the two churches. It is also neat and convenient, and some years ago was beautified and improved.

St. Mary’s church stands on the south-west part of the city; the inside is ornamented with some beautiful monuments of the Gamul and Troutbeck families.

St. Olave’s stands in the lower part of Bridge-street, opposite Castle-street.

St. Martin’s stands at a place called the Ash, in the south-west part of the city; it has also been much improved.

Exclusive of the above-mentioned places of worship, there are no less than six conventicles for dissenters of different denominations. There is also a chapel for Roman-catholics.

In addition to the charities already noticed, there is an excellent foundation for 30 decayed freemen, to each of whom is allowed the sum of 4l. annually, and a gown every third year; every candidate must be beyond his 60th year.

The late Mr. Owen Jones, butcher, (one of the donors to this charity), bequeathed the annual profits of an estate in Denbighshire, to the poor of the several city companies, in rotation; which bequest, though only a few pounds at first, now, from the singular discovery of a lead-mine thereon, produces little less than 400l. per annum.

There are 30 almshouses in Chester, exclusive of six behind the Blue-coat school; namely, ten in St. Michael's parish; four in John’s; six in Common-hall-lane; six in St. Olave’s parish; and four in Trinity.

In the year 1772, a horrid explosion happened at Chester, on the anniversary night of the gunpowder-plot, when a large stone building, up an entry in Water-gate-street, occupied by George Williams, a puppet-shew man was blown up, and out of 140 people assembled 31 were killed, most of them upon the spot. It was occasioned by several barrels of powder having been lodged under the building. The shock was felt several miles round the city.

The existence of a corporation in Chester is very ancient: according to King’s Vale Royal, the first mayor was Sir Walter Lymur, Knight, in 1242, who enjoyed the office several years; his successor was William Clark, Esq. who continued in the chair eight years; the third was John Arnway, who enjoyed it five years; a period of time, which altogether nearly comprehended the reign of Henry the Third. Since which time the city has continued to be governed by a mayor, recorder, two sheriffs, twenty-four aldermen, and forty common-councilmen; to which are annexed a sword-bearer, mace-bearer, yeoman, crier, four sergeants at-mace, and a porter.

The first recorder is said to have been elected by the charter of Henry the Seventh, dated the 21st of April, 1505, when Ralph Birkenhead, Esq. was chosen. This office was till lately filled by the late R. Townshend, Esq. who enjoyed it more than 30 years; on his resignation, the late Thomas Cowper, of Overlegh, Esq. was chosen.

The year 1543, in the reign of Henry the Eighth, is recorded as the origin of representation for this city and county; when a summons was received to send two knights for the county, and two citizens for the city, to parliament.

From the earliest accounts of the constitution of Chester, it was mercatory guild, or corporation of merchants and artificers; and that it was the most important among its contemporaries, may be interred from its being well known as the western emporium of commerce in the island; and its two great annual fairs, granted by the first earls, are an existing evidence of its ancient commercial consequence. Its trade, in the time of Edward the First, was so considerable, that it paid a fee-farm rent to the crown of 100l. but, the harbour being choaked with sand, the trade was necessarily transferred to Liverpool, as the nearest and most convenient port.

The corporation, or guild, consisted of 24 companies; over each presided an alderman, who, according to the ancient customs, was annually elected. There were two officers called keepers of the guild, who admitted freemen, received customs, rents, and fees, and who, we may suppose, were the primitive leave-lookers. These, with the sheriffs, who derived their authority from the earl and the murengers, probably existed before there was a mayor. It does not appear when the latter chief magistrate was introduced into the corporation; for a charter of Henry the Third mentions him as then being, and not as then created. It is however evident that all the above offices existed before the charter of Henry the Seventh, dated April 6, 1506: for this granted no new offices or privileges: it confirmed the ancient customs of the place, and gave a sacred and inviolable sanction to the original right every citizen had to chuse all the principal officers of the corporation; but the official power and authority was, by the united efforts of intrigue and violence, rendered perpetual in this city, as well as in every other in the kingdom. To this may be attributed the office of alderman, that was originally but annual, being now, in this and every other corporation, held for life. Ambition thus availed itself of the natural prejudices, and the most grateful affections of mankind, to subject them to their oppression, by seducing them to resign their independence. When an alderman had, by good behaviour, excited the gratitude and riveted the attachment of his elective citizens, he was frequently retained in his office, when the safety of municipal privilege should have obliged him to resign. In this manner the best of moral actions were the destruction of the most valuable privileges. Those who were thus allowed to continue in office longer than the time prescribed by custom and constitution, assumed the temporary sufferance of their electors as an indefeasible right for life. Knowing they should have no chance of being chosen chief magistrate while they were liable to be removed from their aldermanship by annual election, they chose lather to violate the rights of their fellow citizens than lose an opportunity of gratifying their lust for power and vanity for eminence. This infringement of privilege arose from the mayor not being chosen among those who had been aldermen, as well as those who were, and this defect in the municipal policy may be assigned as the cause of aldermen holding now their offices for life who before held them only for a year.

In the year 1554 it appears that the mayor appointed the common council men. In 1574, the confirmation which Elizabeth gave, in the sixth year of her reign, to the charter of Henry the Seventh, was, by the immaculate corporation, surrendered for one that was more favourable to the encroachments they had made, on the privileges of their fellow citizens. In 1604, James the First gave a confirmation of the charter; this seemed to have less sincerity than compliment. His majesty attempting, the year following, to nominate a recorder, is an evidence of that royal interference in the affairs of corporations which began in this reign, and was carried to such a dangerous excess by succeeding kings as almost to threaten an entire subversion of the few privileges charters had restored to the people.

In the year 1662, Lord Biereton, Sir Peter Leicester, Sir Richard Grosvenor, and Sir Geoffry Shackerby, acting as commissioners, for regulating the corporation, endeavored to remove several aldermen and common councilmen, who appeared too much attached to the interests of their fellow citizens to be the avowed tools of governments.

To this origin may be traced those divisions and animosities, which have frequently risen to such an alarming height in this city, and which can scarcely be said to have subsided. To such a degree was popular discord carried, that, at a parliamentary election in 1672, the Recorder, Mr. William Williams, and Colonel Warden, who had been gentlemen of the bed-chamber to the Duke of York, afterwards James the Second, being opponent candidates, eight men were killed in the crowd, at the foot of the stairs of the common-hall; and the poll was in consequence adjourned to the Roodee. This is one of those unfortunate and disgraceful casualties that too frequently attend those times when the people are called together to exercise their elective privileges at a period; when the voters of this kingdom should be suffered to chuse their representatives, with that peace, order, and decency, which ought to characterise the constitution of a parliament, discords are fomented and outrage abetted. The people are at first intoxicated, and afterwards bullied out of their reason: the very instant in which they are assembled to preserve their lives, rights, and properties, privilege is banished, rapine, encouraged, and murder committed. These are the blessings we have enjoyed ever since a seat in parliament has been more advantageous to the representative than the constituents, To countenance such proceedings, encroachments were made on this and all other corporations. In this general abridgment of independence, the charter of Chester was altered; for, in 1676, a new charter was made, which, although it left the right of election, as prescribed in that of Henry the Seventh, unaltered; it introduced several innovations, with respect to the election of all the corporate offices, so as to render their possessors more immediately dependent on the sovereign.

The opposite parties, being nearly equal in strength and affluence, agreed for a time to divide the representation.

The great subject of dispute between Charles the Second and his parliament, was the excluding his brother, the Duke of York, a professed papist, from succeeding to the crown. No sooner had the King called them together, for the purpose of obtaining supplies, than a bill of exclusion was agitated, and made the sine qua non of every pecuniary grant; and such were the apprehensions of the consequences of the duke’s accession to the crown that even that part of the nation who were zealously attached to the king’s person, and the more sensible and moderate, supported the measure of exclusion. Every election consequently produced new advocates for it in the House of Commons, in defiance of all the strenuous efforts of court influence. As money could not be had without parliaments, nothing remained but for the crown to attempt the acquisition of such a decided sway in the choice of members, as to render all opposition too feeble to counteract their designs; it was therefore imagined, and not without reason, that this might be effected, by assuming the power of nominating the officers of corporations into the hands of the king; and this was only to be effected by the demolition of a charter. A plan was formed for this purpose of avowed tyranny. Some boroughs were terrified, and others cajoled, into a surrender of their charters; and against those that were obstinate, informations, in the nature of a quo warranto, were filed. These violent proceedings soon evinced that the court were determined to establish their arbitrary designs. With these views, there were not wanting in Chester men who were ready to adopt any measure, however despotic, provided they were permitted to share the unconstitutional authority. To this end, a voluntary surrender of their old charter was attempted; but the measure, being too despotic, proved abortive. It was therefore necessary to have recourse to compulsion. An information was filed, and the result was that judgment was given that the liberties of Chester should be seized into the King's hands, until the court should further order, which was accordingly executed, by a writ of seizure. A rule of final judgment being given next term, and the corporation shewing no cause against it, a farther rule for entry of that judgment was made, which, however, from some neglect, was omitted. The Tories availed themselves of these circumstances to obtain a new charter, have their own mayor, and to fill the corporation entirely with their own creatures. Regardless of the reproaches and execrations of their fellow citizens, whom they had thus despoiled of those rights restored to them by charter, they triumphed in the smiles and sunshine of court-favour; and, as if tyranny had completely vanquished the patriotism of Chester, a tablet was placed over the pentice door, with an inscription importing "that the new charter was acceptable to all good men."

So venal and dependent the corporation became afterwards, that, when James the Second visited this city, the recorder, Leving, at the head of the corporation, thus addressed him: "The corporation is your majesty’s creature, and depends merely on the will of its creator; and the sole intimation of your majesty’s pleasure shall ever have with us the force of a fundamental law."

When James made an alteration in most of the charters in the kingdom, the like attempt was made on the city of Chester; but the independent citizens, conceiving, that this offer was only made to seduce them into a resignation of their religious liberty, unanimously refused its acceptance, and desired to have their ancient charter of Henry the Seventh restored. Thus, through the dismission of the corporation created by Charles’s charter, and the non-acceptance of that of James, the city was destitute, nearly three months, of magistrates, and the election-day passed, without any officers being chosen. The king, indeed, was at that time busily employed, in endeavoring to repair the wrong steps which were effecting his ruin, particularly by replacing all the corporations on their former footing; the greatest care was taken that no force might be wanting to restore the ancient franchises to Chester.

On the 18th of November, after the Prince of Orange had landed on the 4th, the corporation reassumed its ancient privileges. In 1692 it was acknowledged by all that the charter of restitution had, to every intent and purpose, revived the ancient franchises; among which that of electing aldermen and common-councilmen, by the citizens at large, was as expressly granted as any other; and, as it presented a probable remedy against the encroachments of aristocratic power, it was resolved that it should be adopted.

In October 1692, Colonel Whitely was chosen mayor, and so pure and patriotic was his conduct that he continued in the mayoralty four years successively. Being obliged to retire from the fatigue of his office, he convened, a few days before this event, the corporation, and presented them a set of regulations for their future choice of aldermen and common-councilmen. These were so excellent that they were unanimously received, and deserved the approbation of every honest and sensible mind. This worthy citizen being succeeded by one of opposite principles, the freedom of the corporation was again subverted, by causing the elections of the city-officers to be made by a select body. This was opposed by the citizens at large, in a petition, signed by Roger Whitely, and ten others; which, however, after great struggles, proved ineffectual.

In the year 1698 the citizens were convened, and, by some artful means, persuaded to elect the whole body, and then to vote that they should continue in their offices, according to ancient custom. Thus was entirely destroyed the ancient privilege of annual elections in the corporation.

A general election approaching in 1734, both parties began to muster their forces. This proved to be one of the severest contests which the city had ever experienced. Their passions already inflamed, and conscious of the enormous weight of influence against them, the Whigs were driven into excesses, which would have been inexcusable on any other occasion.

It was apprehended that the corporation, having the power of making freemen in their own hands, might procure as many votes as they wanted. Some of the aldermen, having assembled together in the Pentice, at a late hour, on the Tuesday night preceding the election, suspicion arose that the whole night was to be employed in admitting to the freedom of the city as many of their party as they could conveniently introduce. A mob presently assembled about the Pentice, where they broke open the door, assaulted and drove out the aldermen, and damaged considerably the windows and furniture.

Their adversaries, feeling their inferiority in this kind of contest, resolved to call in foreign assistance: the following day, therefore, a large body of colliers, and other countrymen, were brought from the neighbourhood of Wrexham, by the direction and under the influence of Mr. W. W. Wynne. The citizens hearing of their approach, retired into the castle, and there armed themselves with old swords, helmets, and breast-pieces; and, thus formidably accoutered, sallied forth to meet their foes. A bloody encounter ensued in Bridge-street; and the Welshmen, after several of them were dangerously wounded, were soon routed and put to flight. It was now agreed that hostilities should cease, and some plan be settled for conducting the election in a peaceable and regular manner. The poll continued from Friday to Monday; and both parties so exerted themselves as to bring votes from the most distant parts of the kingdom, and even from Ireland, in direct contradiction to the charter, which limits these elections to be made commorant citizens. The majority, as might be expected, was in favour of the corporation member; but no sooner were the books closed, and the mayor and his attendants retired from the hustings, than they were obliged to retreat into the Exchange Coffee-house. They were, however, not here secure, for the mob broke in, seized the sword and mace, and, chairing their favourite candidate, bore him to his house in triumph.

As the corporation still exercised their overbearing influence, recourse was had to the only remedy against exorbitant power, which is that of recurring to its original and constitutional source, the people. Informations were accordingly brought against the mayor, 10 aldermen, and 18 common-council, for usurping the privilege of electing aldermen, exclusive of the commonalty. After a considerable contest, the Tories prevailed; and the Whigs, from disappointment and exhausted finances, seemed to have been for that time entirely dispirited and disunited. In the year 1747 an attempt was made to bully them, under auspices which seemed to insure success. It appeared that at the election of 1734, the right of non-resident freemen to vote had been questioned; and it was now resolved to try the issue. The minister, to whom the Grosvenor family was inimical, encouraged Baron Mainwaring to oppose administration. They were probably induced to this from the hope that if the question concerning non-residents should be agitated, his support would not be wanting. The election was carried on with all the heat and violence of former times; and the Tory party, counting the non-residents, had the majority.

A petition was presented, and the inquiry commenced, which clearly tended to establish the right of election in resident freemen only. And now Sir Robert Grosvenor found himself in a very disagreeable dilemma: he considered that his interest in Westminster must be devoted to the minister, or he should be obliged to resign one representation for his hereditary borough, to which he could by no means consent. But as it was no novelty in his family to change principles, for the purpose of preserving the superiority in Chester, a compromise was made the evening before the final issue of the petition; and, notwithstanding the resolutions of the preceding day, the counsel for the petitioners were instructed to say, "that they would give the house no farther trouble." Thus was the baron made the victim of ministerial duplicity. We may therefore rejoice at the day that Mr. Grenville’s act placed the issue of contested elections in more impartial hands than those of an influenced majority of the House of Commons.

From the above and other succeeding circumstances respecting the conduct of the corporation and their opponents, it is evident that the former have always endeavored to preserve their power by abridging and extinguishing the liberties of the people as much as they possibly could, while the latter have always endeavored to found their pride and distinction on the defence of the rights and privileges of their fellow citizens.

This city being the capital of a county palatine did not send members to the national parliament before they were granted the privilege by charter, given in the 34th year of Henry VIII. The right of election was determined, Decembers, in the year 1690, to be in the freemen.

Chester is situated 182 miles from London, and contains, according to the late returns, 3,194 houses, inhabited by 3,427 families, which consist of 15,052 persons, viz. 6,492 males, and 8,560 females, of whom 2,149 were returned as being employed in manufacture, and 402 in agriculture.

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CHESTER is a city and county of itself, and the capital of the county of that name, a municipal, parliamentary and county borough, sea port, head of a union, county court district and petty sessional division, in the Eddisbury division of the county, and is pleasantly seated on the north bank of the river Dee, a bend of which encircles nearly one half of the city; it is distant from Bangor 59 ½ miles, Birmingham 74, Birkenhead 15, Bolton 36 ½, Cheadle 37, Crewe 21 ½, Conway 45 ¼, Flint 12 ½, Frodsham 9, Glossop 65, Holyhead 84 ½, Holyweli 16 ¾, Hull 150, Liverpool 17, London 179 ¼, Manchester 40, Mold 13 ¼, Nantwich 17 ½, Oswestry 26 ½, Oxford 150, Ruabon 17, Sandbach 26 ½, Shrewsbury 38 ¾, Shifnal 59 ½, Stafford 46 ½, Stockport 39 ¾, Stoke 36 ¼, Sheffield 80, Warrington 18, Wrexham 12, Wellington 49 ½ and Wolverhampton 61 ¼. The city stands at the extremity of Broxton hundred and at the east end of the peninsula of Wirral, and adjoining Flintshire, and is in the rural deanery, archdeaconry and diocese of Chester. Few places in the kingdom present to the antiquary attractions of more varied character than this ancient city: it is rich in memorable incidents and associations, and has a history chronicled not only in books, but in its walls, ecclesiastical and other buildings, its unique “rows” and other venerable remains.

Chester may not improbably have been a very early Iberian or British town, and it most certainly was an important Roman station: the general plan of the city and the arrangement of the principal streets-answering in some measure to a Roman camp-bear witness to its Roman origin: to the Roman geographers it was known as “Deva,” or the station on the Dee, where, according to the Antonine Itinerary, was, the station from A.D. 61 of the 20th Legion (Valeria Victrix), and this seems to be confirmed by the name “Caer Leon Gawr,” or the “city of the great legion,” assigned to it by the British; this view is further strengthened by the discovery here of three votive altars, the inscriptions on which show that they were erected by officers and others belonging to the legion, besides which many and various other Roman remains have been met with at different periods. The 20th Legion quitted Deva about A.D. 406; and it then reverted to the Britons, from whom it was taken in 607 by Ethelfrith the Fierce, King of Northumbria; the Britons, however, regained possession, and continued to hold the place till they were dispossessed in 828—30 by Egbert, who, as sole monarch, added Legancester, as it was called by the Saxons, to his other dominions; in 894 it was taken and ravaged by the Danes, and on their retreat, the city walls, were rebuilt, about 908, by Ethelfleda, Countess of Mercia; but after her death, the Britons once more became its masters, only to be again expelled by Edward the Elder: in the summer of 973, Edgar received on the Dee the homage of various inferior Saxon sovereigns, and according to some writers, was rowed from his palace on the south bank of the river to the conventual church of St. John by eight tributary kings: on the division of the country in 1016 between Edmund Ironside and Canute, Chester, as part of Mercia, was retained by the latter. Under the Normans Chester increased considerably in importance, and after the Conquest, the Earldom of Chester (county) was conferred on Greorbodus, a nobleman of Flanders, who, however, never took possession of his territory, and, returning to the Continent, died soon after, upon which the dignity was bestowed by the Conqueror, in 1070, upon his half-sister’s son, Hugh de Ahrincis (or Avranches), surnamed “Lupus,” who had his residence and held his courts and parliaments here, to which he summoned the barons and landowners of the shire; this powerful and wealthy noble eventually died as a monk in the abbey of St. Werburgh, at Chester, 27 July, 1101: and on the death in Dec. 1119 of his son Richard, 2nd earl, the male line then becoming extinct, the earldom passed to his 1st cousin, Ranulph de Meschines, son of Ralph de Meschines, who has married Maud de Abrincis, sister of Earl Hugh Lupus: Ranulph or Ralph de Meschines, 4th Earl of Chester of this family, and surnamed “Blundevil,” died at Wallingford, 26 Oct. 1232, and the earldom then devolved upon his nephew, John le Scot, as “Earl Palatine,” at whose decease, by poison, in 1244, the male line again failed, and in 1246, the Earldom of Chester was for ever annexed to the Crown by Henry III. and the title has since that time “excepting the short period 1264—5, when possession thereof was obtained by the rebellious Simon de Montfort,” been borne only by the heir apparent of the sovereign i by the Act 21 Rich. II. c. 9 (1398) the earldom of Chester was erected into a Principality, and although this Act was annulled by the Act 1 Hen. IV. c. 3, the earldom of Chester has ever since been granted in conjunction with the Principality of Wales, and H.R.H, the present Prince of Wales thus received both titles (previous to his baptism) on the 8th Dec. 1841. The city suffered severely during the sanguinary period of the Wars of the Roses, and was on one occasion (in 1455) visited by Margaret of Anjou, the warlike queen of Henry VI. King James I. on his journey into Scotland in 1617 passed, through Chester, and received from the mayor the city sword, which, being re-delivered to him, was borne by the mayor on horseback before the king. On the breaking out of the Civil War, the city was in 1642 the head quarters of the Royalists in this locality; and in 1645, under the governorship of John, 1st Lord Byron, and a distinguished cavalier, withstood, under great privations, the attacks of Sir William Brereton; the king thereupon came to its relief (22 Sep. 1645), but the royal forces being defeated on Rowton Heath, 2 miles from the city, on the 24th, the king, after remaining one night, retired to Denbigh, and the place was eventually surrendered 3 Feb. 1646. In Aug. 1659, Sir George Booth and Sir Thomas Middleton surprised and took it, but were defeated near Nantwich by General Lambert, who then advanced upon and recaptured Chester; the city was visited by James II. in 1687, and on the rebellion of 1688, was seized by Lords Molyneux and Aston in the royal interest, but the speedy abdication of James rendered their efforts useless: under William III. Chester was appointed one of six places for the assay of gold and silver, and this privilege, is still retained; in the Jacobite rising in 1745, it was fortified and garrisoned against the Pretender, this being the last important military event in its history, but it is still a chief military centre. On the 11 and 12 Feb. 1867, the castle was threatened by attack by the Fenians, whose intentions, however, were rendered futile by the activity of the authorities. The Exchange and Town Hall, burnt down 30 Dec. 1862, were reopened by H.R.H, the Earl of Chester, 15 Oct. 1869.

Chester is entirely surrounded by walls, which are among the most perfect examples of such fortifications to be found in the kingdom: they are built of soft freestone and are nearly two miles in circumference, varying from about 12 to 40 feet in height, with a paved walk on the top, of sufficient width in the narrowest part to admit of two persons walking abreast, thus affording a beautiful promenade, in the circuit of which a variety of pleasing prospects are presented to the eye, including the Roodee, or racecourse, the river Dee and Peckforton and Beeston Castles and the mountains of Flintshire and Denbighshire: the walls are said to have been rebuilt and their circuit enlarged by Ethelred and Ethelfleda, Earl and Countess of Mercia, about the year 908, and they still have, besides posterns, four principal gates, viz. East gate, North gate, Bridge gate and Water gate. East gate consists of a single lofty arch for the passage of carriages, and two posterns for foot passengers: it was built in 1769, on the site of the ancient gate, at the expense of Richard, 1st Baron Grosvenor, whose arms, with those of the city, occupy the centre of the archway. North gate, a similar structure, formerly served as the city prison, and was in the charge and keeping of the sheriffs. Bridge gate, which has also a central arch and two pasterns, was erected in 1782, at the expense of the Corporation and had formerly an octagonal tower. Water gate, built of local red sandstone, painted to imitate freestone, was built in 1788, on the site of the ancient Water gate, the expenses being defrayed out of the Murage duties, and it acquired its name from the fact that the tide once flowed up to this spot. The principal postern gates were Kail yard, New gate (formerly ladled Wolf gate) and Ship gate.

The walls were formerly defended by various towers; the New Tower, sometimes called the Water Tower, projecting from the walls towards the Dee and twenty-four feet in height, was built in 1322, at the expense, of the citizens; large iron rings were attached to this tower, to which, vessels were fastened which came up to this point before the harbour became choked with sand: a thoroughfare tower, leading to the Water Tower, was anciently: called Bonewaldesthorne Tower. The Phoenix Tower, from which Charles I. witnessed the defeat of his army, commanded by Sir Marmaduke Langdale, at Rowton Moor (24 Sept. 1645), by the Parliamentary forces, under Sir William Brereton and Col. Poyntz, takes its name from the crest of the Painters and Stainers, who, with other companies, held their meetings in this tower: it was formerly called Newton Tower: there were, besides these, Goblin’s Tower, now known by the name of Pemberton’s Parlor, of which only a portion remains and the Saddler’s Tower, which stood near the Cathedral, but was taken down in 1780.

The city consists principally of four streets, excavated out of the solid rock and diverging at right angles to the; cardinal points from a centre, where formerly stood a stone cross, called the High Cross, pulled down in 1646, after the city had fallen into the hands of the Parliamentary army, but a portion of the structure is still preserved in the grounds of Netherleigh House in this neighbourhood; the first floors of the houses on both sides at an average height of about 10 feet above the level of the carriage-way, are continuously open to the street, and form the famous “Rows,” which are a species of elevated corridors or ambulatories with shops at the back, affording a sheltered promenade for foot passengers over the shops below and communicating with the streets by flights of steps placed at intervals: in the “Rows’' and elsewhere within the city walls there are still extant many highly interesting examples of the timber-framed and plaster houses peculiar to this county, and some of these are richly ornamented with carved work and par-getting: “God's Providence House,” in Watergate street, dated 1652, and reconstructed in 1862, takes its name from the motto, “God’s' providence is mine inheritance, carved on one of the exterior beams, and said to have been thus inscribed by a former tenant who escaped the plague, which had visited almost every other house in the city: the house of Bishop Lloyd (1615) and that of the Stanley family (1591) are also in this street: another fine example is the Bear and Billet inn, in Bridge street, which thoroughfare also affords several other quaint specimens of this style; the streets are paved with stone and lighted with gas from works in Paradise row, near the Roodee, originally erected in 1818 in Cuppin street, by the Chester Gas Light Company, amalgamated in 1856 with the Roodee Gas Company, under the name of The Chester United Gas Company: the water supply is derived from works at Barrell Well and Spitalfield Walk, the property of the Chester Water Works Company, whose offices are in Newgate street Chester is amply provided with railway communication and has three stations. The general station at the top of City road, into which the trains of the Great Western and London and North Western companies run, is the joint property of these two companies; there are 8 platforms, the two longest being 520 yards each in length; two otters, known as the Island platforms and erected in 1890, are each 340 yards long; the main platform has a pillar letter box, postal telegraph office and refreshment rooms; in 1890 various improvements were carried out, including the extension of the glazed iron roof, so as to cover the whole of the platforms.

The station of the Cheshire Lines Committee, in Victoria road, called “Northgate station,” was opened for traffic in 1875, and has two platforms each 100 yards long; the whole is covered by a light iron framed and glazed roof.

The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Company's station in Liverpool road was opened in 1890 and a branch line has since been made from this station to Hawarden, affording communication with Wrexham, and a line has been constructed by this company so as to connect Chester with the Cambrian railways and South Wales.

The city is a seaport and under the Act of 1846 its limits were declared to be from the eastern end of the bridge to Red Stones, at Hoylake, to the Voryd or Clwyd river, and along the seashore and western side of the Dee, to the western end of the bridge, including the rivers Dee and Voryd: fishing boats and their implements to be distinguished by the letters C.H.; the river Dee has been canalized from the city to Connah’s quay at its estuary, which expands to a considerable width.

The Old Bridge over the Dee, at the Bridge gate, consisting of seven irregular arches, is of Considerable antiquity, but has been rebuilt and repaired at different times: the ancient gates, which formerly stood One at each end, were taken down, one in 1782 and the other in 1784.

Grosvenor Bridge, which crosses the Dee near the racecourse, was erected at a cost-of £36,000, from signs by Mr. Thomas Harrison, architect, and is a structure of freestone, consisting of one arch, with a span of 200 feet; the height from, the springing line is 40—feet, the length of the roadway 340 feet and width, 35 ½ feet: it was formally opened by Her Majesty Majesty then Princess Victoria), upon the occasion of her visiting Eaton Hall in 1832.

The Suspension Bridge crossing the Dee, a light and handsome structure, leads to the suburb called “Queen’s Park.”

At the time of the Conquest Chester ranked as a, Merchant Guild, and the chief citizens assembled in guild to make laws for their guidance and protection; charters of privileges were granted to the city by the successive Norman earls, and these were confirmed and enlarged by Hen. II. and John, and Hen. III., in 1242 constituted the chief magistrate mayor; Henry. VII by charter, in 1506, made the city of Chester a county in itself, and granted to the mayor and corporation jurisdiction over the river Dee, from Heron Bridge to Arnold’s Eye: during the Commonwealth the city was deprived of its privileges as a separate county, and the Corporation dissolved 17 Sept. 1659; but in 1664, Charles II. confirmed the grant and charter of Henry VII, and the Corporation continued to be elected under the charter of Charles II. until the passing of the “Municipal Corporations Act, 1835” (5 and 6 Wt. IV, c. 76), by which, the city was divided into five wards, each returning 6 councillors; and the Corporation now consists, under this Act, and the later Act of 1882 (45 and 46 Vict, c 50), of a mayor, sheriff, ten aldermen and thirty councillors, who also act as the Urban Sanitary Authority. The city has a commission of the Peace and separate court of Quarter. Sessions and a police force. Under the “Local Government Act, 1888,” Chester is declared a “county borough.” for certain purposes of that Act.

Chester returned two members to Parliament from the 1st year of Queen Mary (1553), the elective franchise being vested in the freemen and householders; but under the “Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885,” the representation was reduced to one member, the franchise having been previously extended in accordance with the “Representation of the people Act, 1867” (30 and 31 Vict. c. 102).

The city arms:- "England, dimidiating az. 3 garbs, or," are probably at least as old as 1283, and were confirmed by William Flower, Norroy, 3 Sept. 1580, with crest and supporters; but in the 17th and 18th century, the coat-“az. 3 garbs, or,” surmounted by a sword in pale-was used.

The see of Chester originated in 1075, when Peter, 34th bishop of Lichfield, removed the seat of his diocese to this city, with the church of St. John the Baptist as a cathedral, thus occasioning his successors to be frequently styled bishops of Chester, although the next bishop, Robert de Lindsey, prebend of St. Paul’s, translated the head of the see to Coventry, where it remained till about 1086, when Hugh Novant, prior of the Catthusians, re-established it at Lichfield. Chester, however, was not created a distinct and separate see until 1541, when it was chosen as one of the six new bishoprics made by Henry VIII. and the church of the Benedictine abbey of St. Werburg, founded in 1053 by Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, was assigned as the cathedral church and re-dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin. The diocese now consists of the entire county of Chester, except parts of the parishes of Threapwood and Whitchurch, and part of Mottram in Longdendale, and it also includes portions of the parishes of Doddleston, Hawarden, and Malpas, in Flintshire, of Ashton-under-Lyne, in Lancashire, and of Barthomley, in Staffordshire. There are two archdeaconries (Chester and Macclesfield), 12 rural deaneries, and 265 benefices. The revenue of the see, which in 1824 was only £1,700 a year, was increased by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners to £4,200.Stolen from Fore bears

Among the bishops of Chester may be mentioned John Bird, appointed to the see on its creation in 1541; he had been a monk of the Carmelite order, and sometime abbot of Chester, suffragan bishop of Penrith, in 1537, and bishop of Bangor in 1539; in 1553—4 he was deprived by Mary for having married, but afterwards conforming, was employed as suffragan to Bishop Bonner of London; he died in 1558. George Coates, his successor (1554—6), was moster of Balliol College,-Oxford, 1539—45; Thomas Morton (1616—19), and afterwards of Durham, was the author of the “Book of Sports;" Brian Walton (1660—1), was the editor of the “Hexapla Polyglot Bible,” and died 29 Nov. 1661; John Wilkins (1668—72), an astronomer and one of the founders of the Royal Society; John Pearson (1673—80), author of “An Exposition of the Creed;” Sir William Dawes, bart. (1708—14), archbishop of York (1714—24), and died 30 April, 1724; Beilby Porteus (1776—87), and afterwards bishop of London; Charles James Blomfield (1824—28), also translated to London, and died 5 August, 1857; John Bird Sumner (1828—48), and archbishop of Canterbury, 1848, died at Lambeth, 6 Sept. 1862; William Jacobson (1865—84), sometime Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford; and William Stubbs (1884—9), Regius Professor of Modern History at Oxford, and Bishop of Oxford from 1888. The Right Rev. Fras. John Jayne D.D. 33rd and present Bishop of Chester, formerly fellow of Jesus College, Oxford, principal of St. David’s College, Lampeter, and vicar of Leeds, was consecrated in 1889.

The Cathedral church of St. Werburgh, originally the church, of the Benedictine abbey, is a cruciform structure of red sandstone in various styles from Early Norman to Late Perpendicular, and consists of nave of seven bays, with aisles and south porch; choir of five bays, with aisles and south-east chapel; an eastern lady-chapel of three bays, small north transept of one bay, with eastern chapel; south transept of live bays, with aisles; an incomplete south-west tower, and a central embattled tower, 127 feet high, with octagonal battlemented turrets at the angles, and cricketed pinnacles between these; the belfry has two canopied windows in each face, and contains a clock, with chimes and eight bells. On the north side of the nave are the abbey cloisters, 110 feet square; the eastern alley opens into a vestibule, leading to the chapter, house, and near this on the north are stairs, once leading to the dormitory, and to the east a vaulted cellar; the refectory occupies almost the whole of the north walk, and on the west side is a long, low vaulted undercroft of Early Norman date. The Cathedral is so much, shut in by buildings that a really good general view is unobtainable, but the best prospect is afforded by the city wall, which closely adjoins the Cathedral yard on the east. The eastern portion of the fabric is almost entirely Early English, the remainder is Decorated, with additions and-alterations made during the Perpendicular period: The west front, flanked by octagonal banded turrets, is wholly filled with a Perpendicular window, richly traceried; the space below is occupied by an embattled screen, with a central doorway, on either side of which are three canopied niches; the basement of the south-west tower, along the face of which the banding of the turret is carried, has a Perpendicular window, with a canopied niche on either side; the interior serves as a consistory court. The south porch, which abuts on this tower, has a parvise chamber above it. The cathedral has generally pierced parapets, but the south transept and its aisles are embattled, and the east end of the choir is strongly marked by two octagonal turrets, with tall crocketed spirelets; the stone roof of the south-eastern apse, restored from existing records, and rising to a height of about 40 feet, is also a very striking feature; the east end of the lady chapel is finished with buttresses surmounted by canopied pinnacles.

The nave is 145 feet long, and, with the aisles, 75 feet wide, and has a height of 73 feet; its arcades are Decorated, of rather plain character, but the stage above is wholly Perpendicular, with a lofty window in each bay, and serves both as triforium and clerestory; the nave is seated with open benches and chairs, and at the east end are raised seats, arranged longitudinally, for the choir; the pulpit, designed by Mr. R. C. Hussey, and the eagle lectern, were removed from the choir; the nave was first used for divine service on Advent Sundlay, 1867; the aisles were also modified during the Perpendicular period, but the lower part of the wall of the north aisle is Norman work; the interior wall of this aisle has been adorned with marble mosaics, the gift of Mrs. Platt, of Stalybridge, who died in 1888; the work, finished in 1890, represents scenes from the Old Testament history, designed by Mr. Clayton, jun. and executed by Mr. Burke, of Newman street, London; the stained windows above were presented in 1890 by H. Higgins esq. of Hereford. The new baptistery, formed out of an ancient Norman chamber at the north-west angle of the nave, was dedicated by the late bishop of Chester, 9 Oct. 1885; the flooring has been laid down with mosaics, illustrating the “Miraculous Draught of Fishes,” surrounded by a series of heads, emblematic of Christian virtues; the ancient and beautiful font of Italian marble was presented by Lord Egerton of Tatton. The small north transept is now occupied by the new organ loft, which is a beautiful work of stone and marble supported on sixteen marble columns, and was erected at a cost of £2,400, entirely defrayed by the Duke of Westminster. The organ, formerly placed above the choir screen, has now been removed to this transept, which has an ornamental oak roof supported by angels holding emblems of the Crucifixion, arid the arms of Cardinal Wolsey also appear prominently on the beams. The south transept was assigned, in the 14th century, as the parish church of St. Oswald’s parish, and so continued to be used until 1881, when the church of St. Thomas was given to this parish in lieu of this transept, the restoration of which has since been effected; it is 78 feet 4 inches long by 77 feet wide, including the aisles, and in its architectural character resembles the nave; the screen wall erected across the transept, in 1828, by Dean Copleston, has been entirely removed; the stained window at the south end of the transept was the gift in 1885 of Lord Egerton of Tatton, in memory of his father, William Tatton, 1st Baron Egerton of Tatton, who died 24 Feb. 1883; on the east side of the transept is a stained window given in 1890 by Mrs. A. Potts, of Hoole Hall, in memory of her father and her husband.

The choir screen, originally a Decorated work of the 14th century, was subjected to some modifications during the restorations in 1844, and also at a later date, on the removal of the organ to the north transept; it is a light and elegant structure, the lower portion consisting of open traceried arcading, with a central entrance closed by ornamental gates, presented in 1876 by Mr. Ormerod Banner, of Liverpool; the upper stage is of similar open work, rising into slender crocketed pinnacles, and on the choir side is richly canopied, and has four tabernacled stalls on either side the doorway; a portion of the organ is still retained here, and appears in the centre of the screen as a tall sheaf of pipes, banded together, and capped by a crocketed spirelet with finial cross. The choir is, architecturally, much more impressive than the nave; the two Eastern bays are Early English, but the western portion belongs to the period of transition from that style to the Decorated; the main arcade is lofty, supporting a triforium of four trefoiled arches in each bay, and round-headed recesses at the back; the clerestory consists of a single lofty window in each bay, filled with debased tracery; the east end of the choir is pierced by an arch of the same height as those of the arcades, and opening into the lady-chapel, and above it is a window filled with geometrical tracery. The former plaster roof has been entirely removed and replaced by a new roof of oak, at a cost of £2,500, defrayed by the late Thomas Platt esq. J.P. of Dunham Hall; the roof is richly decorated in gold and colour, and painted with various subjects, including figures of the sixteen Old Testament prophets. The pavement of the choir has been relaid, in part with the old marble slabs, intermixed with new tile-work, and the sacrarium with marble bearing incised representations of subjects illustrating the “Passion.” The stalls, forty-eight an number, belong to the 15th century: the canopied work is peculiar fine, and there are misereres or subsellia of the same date; at the east end of the southern, range of stalls is the bishop’s throne, executed by Messrs. Farmer and Brindley, and erected in 1876. The sacrarium is inclosed by railings, presented by the late John Torr esq. M.P. for Liverpool, who died in 1880. The communion table, given by the late Very Rev. John Saul Howson D.D. dean of Chester 1867—86, is made of portions of oak, olive-wood and cedar, all obtained from Palestine, by Henry Lee esq. J.P. of Sedgeley Park, and presented, by him for this purpose in 1876; over the table is a handsome reredos, adorned with a picture in mosaics, executed at Venice, of “the Last Supper.” The four Decorated sedilia, originally in the Church of St. John the Baptist, and restored by the Freemasons at a cost of £450, are in two stages, with two seats in each; their canopies, which had been much mutilated, have figures of monkeys and other grotesques, as well as pedestals for figures: on the opposite side are two fine aumbries, also Decorated. The pulpit of carved wood illustrates the Preaching of John the Baptist in the Wilderness, the building of Solomon's temple, and St. John viewing the descent of the heavenly Jerusalem under the guidance of an angel, The choir lectern, presented in 1873 by the late Miss Potts, of Chester, who died in 1876, has on it incised representations in marble of the heads of the twelve apostles: at the angles are figures of St. Chrysostom, St. Augustine, St. Athanasius and St. Ambrose. In the Norman church, the choir aisles, as well as the choir itself terminated in apses, the outlines of which have been marked on the pavement of the choir, but on the conversion of the east and in the Early English period, the aisles were prolonged considerably eastward, and made to terminate in apsidal chapels of semi-hexagonal form; towards the end of the 15th century these chapels were in turn destroyed, and the aisles again extended eastward for almost the entire length of the lady-chapel, in the walls of which openings were made, but during the restorations subsequent to 1873, this Perpendicular work was entirely removed, and the aisles and lady-chapel restored as nearly as possible to their Early English form; each aisle is vaulted, and retains a piscina, and one aisle has western gates, presented in 1876 by the Duke of Westminster K.G.; the south aisle has also on the south side two sepulchral recesses, each containing a stone coffin, and at the upper end a coffin-shaped altar-tomb, the sides of which are panelled in quatrefoils, with small painted figures of kings and bishops between the panels: in the north aisle is a monument, designed by Messrs. Kelly and Edwards, architects, of Chester, to Dr. John Graham, bishop of Chester 1848—65, and at its western end is a small chapel of the 12th century, with a curious low sedile and traces of an altar.

The lady-chapel, restored as stated above, has an east window of five graduated lancets, designed by the late Sir Gilbert Scott R.A. and filled with stained glass. The elaborate decoration of the roof was executed by Mr. Octavius Hudson, in part from traces still remaining, and occupied, about five years; the Teredos of glass mosaic, designed by Sir A. W. Blomfield kt. A.R.A., F.S.A, occupies the whole of the space below the window; the centre panel above the holy table represents the “Nativity,” and on either side are other panels, arranged horizontally one above the other, with similarly wrought pictures of the “Salutation,” the “Annunciation,” the “Adoration of the Wise Men,” and the “Flight into Egypt;” there are sedilia and a piscina, and some stall work of 1637; the flooring is of marble and tiles, and on the north side is a memorial to the Ven. Francis Wrangham M.A. prebendary of Chester and archdeacon of the East Riding, d. 1842. The shrine of St. Werburg, or rather its lower portion, which from the foundation of the sea up to 1876 served as the episcopal throne, was in 1890 replaced on its original site under the arch between the choir and lady-chapel; the structure was, however, so greatly altered at its restoration in 1846 by Canon Slade, that the ancient design could not be completely recovered; the original work is Early Decorated of the 13th century, and includes several small gilt figures, presumed to represent various Mercian sovereigns.

The other monuments in the cathedral include a fine modern altar-tomb, with effigy, to Bishop Pearson (1673—86): at the feet of the effigy are figures of angels; the sides of the tomb are ornamented with heads of the twelve apostles and sentences from the Creed; above the effigy rises a canopy of wrought metal work, inlaid with coloured marbles and precious stones; there are also memorials to William Smith D.D. dean of Chester, d. 12 Jan. 1787: Samuel Peploe D.D. bishop of Chester, 1726—52; and Capt. John Moore Napier, 62nd foot, d. in Scinde, 7 July, 1846, with epitaph by Lieut.-Gen. Sir Charles James Napier G.C.B. The ancient stained glass was almost wholly destroyed by a mob during the visit of the Duke of Monmouth to the city in 1683; the modern glass comprises the east windows of the choir and lady-chapel, the whole of the windows in the choir aisles, and others, some of these being memorials to the Anson, Hughes, Humberstone, and Richards families.

The restoration of the choir of the cathedral was begun in 1844 by Dean Anson, and carried out under the superintendence of Mr. R. C. Hussey, architect. In 1855 the lady-chapel was partly restored by the chapter, and decorated at the expense of Mrs. Hamilton, of Hoole Lodge. At the beginning of 1868 the nave was fitted up by the chapter for divine service, at a cost of £1,500, and in March of the same year, at the instance and by the exertions of Dean Howson, the general restoration of the fabric was set on foot, and large sums were at once subscribed, including £10,000 by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners: the work was begun in the summer of 1868, under the direction of the late Sir G. Gilbert Scott R.A. and continued after his death by Sir Arthur W. Blomfield M.A., A.R.A., and since 1873 upwards, of £100,000 has been expended in repairs and decoration. The cathedral registers date from 1687.

The cloisters, with the exception of the south wall, rebuilt during the later restoration of 1868 and following years, are 15th century Perpendicular; the destroyed south walk was furnished with carols or small square inclosures for studies, and five such studies still exist at the south end of the western alley; in the wall of the south walk, next the north aisle of the nave, are six semi-circular recessed Norman arches, probably indicating the burial places of abbots; and at either end is a Norman doorway opening into the aisle; in the western alley are two other Norman doorways, one of which admits to the long vaulted chamber forming this side of the cloisters; it is of Early Norman date, 105 feet long by 40 wide, with a row of five circular vaulting piers down the centre, and was once divided by wooden partitions; its purpose and that of the building once existing above it appears to be at present undetermined. On the north side of the cloisters is the refectory, 90 by 34 feet, and originally Early English, but altered during the Perpendicular period; the oak roof was removed in 1804, but there remains a very beautiful Early English mural pulpit with open arcaded staircase; the entrance from the cloister and the arches above the lavatory, both of this period, also exist, but have been interrupted by the later Perpendicular vaulting, and a corbel on the east side of the doorway exhibits the royal arms of Henry VII. In the eastern alley of the cloisters is an Early English vestibule, 30 by 27 feet, divided by columns into three aisles, and leading to the chapter house, a very fine example of Early English (1142—8), 50 feet long by 26 wide and 35 feet high; it is vaulted in three bays, and has at the east end five graduated lights; the chapter library, kept here, includes a MS. Bible of the 12th century; on the wall hang the old colours of the 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment, carried at the storming of Quebec, Sept. 13, 1759; at the east end of the alley are stairs formerly leading to the dormitory, and beyond these on the east a vaulted cellar.

Holy Trinity church, in Watergate street, a building of red sandstone, in the Decorated Middle Pointed style, was entirely rebuilt in 1869, at a cost of £10,000, under the direction of Mr. William Kelly, architect, of Chester, and consists of a chancel, clerestoried nave of three bays and aisles and a western tower with pinnacles and spire, and containing a clock and 6 bells, of which, however, only 2 are in use: in the south aisle is an inscription on brass, removed from the old church, to Matthew Henry, the commentator, who here ministered to a congregation, and died at Nantwich 22 June, 1714: the stained east window was the gift of Mrs. Ball, in memory of her husband, Gen. Thomas Gerrard Ball, d. 1881; there are 750 sittings. The registers date from the year 1656. The living is a rectory, average tithe rent-charge £183, net yearly value £191, in the gift of the Earl of Derby K.G. and held since 1895 by the Rev. Laurence Neakin Farrall M.A. of St. Catharine's College, Cambridge. The parochial charities include about £67 17a. yearly for distribution in bread and money.

The church of St. John the Baptist was originally the church of a college founded here by King Ethelred in 689 for a dean and 7 prebendaries; refounded in 906 by Ethelred, Earl of Mercia, and again by Leofric, Earl of Mercia, for a dean, 7 canons, 10 vicars, 2 clerks and 4 choristers: from 1075 until 1102 it served as the cathedral of Peter, Bishop of Lichfield, who removed the head of the see to Chester: the church, situated without the city walls, on a cliff of red stone rising above the north bank of the Dee, is a fine example of the Norman, Transition and Early English styles, consisting of choir with aisles (now of one bay only out of four, the remainder being in ruins), clerestoried nave of four bays witih triforium, north and south aisles, south-eastern chapel, crypt, north porch and a north-east tower containing a clock and 8 bells: the old tower, which stood at the north-west angle of the structure, fell in 1881, entirely destroying the north porch; the latter was rebuilt in 1882 and a new tower way erected in 1886 at the north-east angle of the church: in 1887 the north wall of the church was strengthened with buttresses and entirely refaced by the Duke of Westminster K.G., P.C.: the massive circular pillars of the nave and crossing date from 1075 to 1095: in the crypt are some fine pre-Norman crosses and in the north aisle is a glass case containing objects of antiquity found at various periods in and about the church: there are some handsomely-painted mural boards by Randle Holme, the herald and author; and the mural monuments include one to Cecil Warburton esq. d. 1728; Diana Warburton, d. 1693, with the figure of a skeleton finely carved in marble; to William Falconer, recorder of the city of Chester, d. 1764; Elizabeth, his wife, d. 1782, and their five children; and to the Rev. William Richardson, 53 years vicar of the parish, d. 1837, and others: there are also brasses to the Rev. William Buxton Marsden, who was for 37 years vicar of the parish, 1838—75; Meadows Frost, of Chester, d. 1883; George Baxter, d. 1845; and Thomas Hughes esq. F.S.A, sheriff of Chester (1873—4), d. 1890: the stained west window, erected in 1890 and designed by Mr. Edward Frampton, exhibits twelve subjects taken from historical incidents in connection with the city of Chester, and was the gift of the Duke of Westminster: in the north aisle is the recumbent cross-legged effigy of a knight in chain mail covered with a surcoat: there are 821 sittings, of which 388 are free. The register dates from the year 1559. The living is a vicarage, gross yearly value £320, net £175, in the gift of the Duke of Westminster K.G., P.C. and held since 1875 by the Rev. Samuel Cooper Scott M.A. of Trinity College, Cambridge. The charities of the parish amount to about £100, and are applied to the relief of the deserving poor of the parish according to a new scheme sanctioned in 1889.

St. Barnabas’ Mission church, in Sibell street, near the General Railway station, built in 1877, at a cost of about £1,700, as a chapel of ease to the church of St. John the Baptist, is a small edifice of brick, consisting of chancel, nave, north transept, and a turret containing one bell: there are 250 sittings. The Rev. Frederick Alexander Screeton B.A. of Hatfield Hall, Durham, has been curate in charge since 1891.

St. Mary’s church, or St. Mary's-on-the-Hill, as it is more commonly called, stands on an eminence near the Castle; on the consecration of the new church of St. Mary-without-the-Walls, in 1887, the boundaries of the parish were altered, and the old church was included in the parish of St. Bridget with St. Martin, and in 1891, by a faculty decreed in the Consistory Court, it was constituted the parish church of these united parishes: the church is an ancient edifice of red sandstone in the Perpendicular style, consisting of chancel with north and south chapels, clerestoried nave of three bays, aisles and a tower with pinnacles containing 8 bells, restored and refitted, and augmented by the addition of 2 bells from the church of St. Bridget: the aisles are separated from the nave by low Tudor arches: in the north chapel are two altar tombs, one of which, commemorating Thomas Gamull, recorder of Chester in 1613, and Alice his wife, has recumbent effigies of both, and at the feet of the lady is a kneeling figure of their infant son, afterwards the loyal Sir Francis Gamull kt. (1664); there are also figures of three infant daughters holding skulls in their hands, and on the sides of the tomb are two shields of arms: the other altar tomb, to Philip Oldfield esq. of Bradwall, ob. 1616, bears a half-recumbent effigy in marble, with two daughters kneeling at the head, in the costume of the period; figures of his four sons, each bearing a shield of arms, support the upper slab, and on. the side of the tomb is a painted skeleton in a similar attitude to the effigy above: in the north aisle is a mural monument of considerable interest, ornamented with heraldic devices, to four members of the Holme family, local antiquaries and heralds of repute; the third, Randle, was the author of the heraldic work, “The Academy of Armory,” published 1688; of the numerous other mural monuments and tablets, some have been removed here from the church of St. Bridget: the stained east window in the north chapel was erected in 1860, by public subscription, to the 23rd Regiment (Royal Welsh Fusiliers), especially with reference to its share in the campaign of 1854—5; there are also seven other memorial windows: the church has been restored at different times, and in 1891 a sum of £4,300 was expended, of which one half was given by the Duke of Westminster, and the remainder contributed by public subscription, the work being carried out under the superintendence of Mr. J. P. Seddon, architect, of Westminster, and including the recasing of the north side, a new wood floor, the rebuilding of part of one arcade and the clerestory; the removal of the galleries, the restoration of the Troutbeck or Shrewsbury chapel, at the east end of the south aisle, and the construction of vestries at the west end of the same aisle: the porch was built at the cost of the Freemasons of the Provinces as a memorial to Randle Holme, at a cost of £225; the organ has also been rebuilt at a cost of £300: there are 561 sittings. The registers and plate belonging to the old church were transferred in 1887 to the new church of St. Mary’s-with-out-the-Walls, which became the parish church of the old parish of St. Mary-on-the-Hill. The registers of St. Bridget’s date from the year 1649, and those of St. Martin’s from 1680. The living, styled St. Bridget and St. Martin’s, is a consolidated rectory, average tithe rent-charge £21, net yearly value £216, with 34 acres of glebe, in the gift of the Bishop of Chester, and held since 1886 by the Ven. Edward Barber M.A. of Magdalen College, Oxford, archdeacon and canon residentiary of Chester. The charities of the united parishes amount to about £50 yearly, and in accordance with a new scheme, sanctioned in 1889, are applied to the relief of the deserving poor of both parishes.

The church of St. Martin, at St. Martin’s Ash, built in 1721, is an edifice of brick, in mixed styles, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles and a western tower containing 2 bells: it was restored in 1882, at a cost of £1,400, defrayed by Robert Roberts esq. of Upton, and is now used for Welsh services: there are sittings for 200 persons. The registers of St. Bridget’s date from the year 1649, and those of St. Martin’s from 1680. The Rev. Alfred Howell Grey-Edwards M.A. of Hertford College, Oxford, has been curate in charge since 1887.

The church of St. Mary, Handbridge, commonly called St. Mary’s-without-the-Walls, and now the parish church of the old parish of St. Mary-on-the-Hill and also the garrison church, is a building of red sandstone in the Perpendicular style, erected during 1885—7, from plans by Mr. F. B. Wade, architect, of Victoria street, London, at a total cost of about £15,000, which, together with the site, was the gift of the Duke of Westminster: it consists of chancel, clerestoried nave of five bays, aisles, north transept, north and south porches and a western tower with spire, 180 feet in; height, containing a clock and 8 bells: the fittings are of oak, ornamented with wrought iron: the windows of the clerestory and those of the aisles are stained: the reredos has a representation of the “Resurrection,” by Mr. Clement Eaton, of London: the font and three stained windows in the baptistery were given by the children of the congregation in 1887, and a memorial window has ben erected at the west end of the south aisle to Charles A. Frost, d. 1891, son of Sir Thomas Gibbons Frost kt. several times mayor of Chester: the silver communion plate, formerly belonging to the church of St. Mary-on-the-Hill, includes an Elizabethan chalice, a flagon dated 1712, and two patens dated respectively 1639 and 1683: there are 800 sittings. The register, which is the old register of St. Mary-on-the-Hill, dates from the year 1628. The living is a rectory, average tithe rent-charge £167, net yearly value £220, with residence, in the gift of the Duke of Westminster K.G., P.C. and held since 1882 by the Rev. Henry Grantham K.C.L, surrogate and chaplain to Chester General Infirmary and to the garrison. The charities for distribution to the poor of the parish amount to about £24 yearly.

St. Michael’s church, in Bridge Street row, partially rebuilt in 1849, at a cost of £2,088, under the direction of the late Mr. Thomas Harrison, architect, of Chester, is a building of stone in the Perpendicular style, consisting of chancel, nave of three bays, aisle, transept and a western tower, with pinnacles, containing 6 bells: Thomas Falconer esq. A.M. the celebrated editor of Strabo, a native of Chester, 1736; d. 4 Sept. 1792, and was buried here: there are 300 sittings, all free. The register dates from the year 1560. The living, with St. Olave’s chapelry annexed, is a vicarage, gross yearly value £260, net £155, in the gift of the Bishop of Chester, and held since 1893 by the Rev. Arthur Radford LL.M. of Christ's College, Cambridge, curate in charge, 1891—3.

St. Olave’s, in Lower Bridge street, is a plain edifice of red sandstone, consisting of nave only, and has 150 sittings: the only regular service now held here is one for children on Fridays at 7 p.m. The parochial charities of St. Olave’g amount to £4 14s. 4d. and of St. Michael's, £38 6s. 7d.; of the latter, £20 16s. 7d. is distributed (principally in bread) to the deserving poor, or applied to the apprenticing of boys.

St. Peter’s church, at the angle of Watergate and North-gate streets, is a building of local red stone in the Gothic style of the 15th century, and from the great span of the arches and their elevation is supposed to be the remnant of a larger edifice; it consists of a nave of two bays with clerestory, aisles, and an open tower at the west end, containing an illuminated clock and 6 bells: there being no chancel, a small portion of the nave at the east end has been raised to serve this purpose: the stained east window is a memorial to H.R.H, the Prince Consort, and was erected in 1862 by public subscription, at a cost of £264: there are about 30 monumental brasses and tablets, including one to Thomas Cooper, sheriff of the city in 1582, and another to Robert Townsend, also sheriff: the church was altered and partially restored in 1849, when an additional gallery on the south side was erected: in 1886 the west gallery was removed, the organ re-cased, a new pulpit, brass eagle lectern and reading desk provided, and the quasi-chancel reseated; a new entrance was also formed at the north-west corner, Perpendicular traceried windows, lighting the clerestory, a battlemented parapet and a conical roof to the tower being also added: there are 500 sittings. The register dates from the year 1559. The living is a rectory, average tithe rent-charge £3, gross yearly value including pew rents £400, neb £330, in the gift of the Bishop, and held since 1893 by the Rev. Francis Tilney Stonex M.A. of Trinity College, Dublin, and surrogate. The parochial charities include about £36 yearly for distribution in kind and money.

St. Thomas’s church, in Parkgate road, was erected in 1871, and in 1881 (Aug. 30) was made the parish church of the parish of St. Oswald, in lieu of the south transept of the cathedral, which had served as the parish church since its erection in the 14th century: the church is of red sandstone in the Early English style, from designs by the late Sir G. Gilbert Scott R.A. and consists of chancel, nave of five bays, aisles, north porch, and has one bell, but there is at present no tower: the east and west windows are stained, and there is a memorial window in the north aisle, erected in 1881, to the late William Harrison M.A. 52 years vicar, d. 1880; and others to George Haswell, d. 1854, and Sarah Haswell, d. 1857: the church affords 750 sittings. The register of St. Oswald’s dates from the year 1580. The living is a vicarage, average tithe rent-charge £242, net yearly value £192, with residence, erected in 1880, in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of Chester, and held since 1890 by the Rev. Ernest Campbell Lowndes M.A. of Corpus Christi college, Oxford, and surrogate. The parochial charities amount to about £30 yearly for distribution.

St. John the Baptist’s without-the-Northgate (commonly called Little St. John’s) is a chapelry within the parish of St. Oswald. The chapel, erected in 1717, at the expense of the Corporation, is a plain structure of brick occupying the south wing of the Blue Coat Hospital and is part of the foundation of the adjoining Hospital of St. John the Baptist, of which the incumbent is chaplain: the chapel affords 150 sittings. The living is a perpetual curacy, net yearly value £289, in the gift of the Chester Charity Trustees, and held since 1881 by the Rev. Joseph Louis Bedford M.A. of Queens’ College, Cambridge.

Christ Church is an ecclesiastical parish formed in 1843 from the parishes of St. John the Baptist and St. Oswald, Chester and Plemstall. The church, in Gloucester street, Nerwtown, created in 1838, is a building of stone in the Gothic style, consisting of chancel, nave, transepts, south porch, and a western turret with cupola, containing one bell: there are 540 sittings. The register dates from the year 1835. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £190, with residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Chester, and held since 1889 by the Rev. James Francis Howson B.A. of Trinity College, Cambridge.

St. Paul’s is an ecclesiastical parish formed July 10, 1846, from the parishes of St. John the Baptist and St. Oswald, Chester, and comprises Spital-Boughton, formerly reputed to be extra-parochial. The church at Boughton, erected in 1830 at a cost of £2,000, was almost entirely rebuilt upon the old foundation in 1876, at a cost of about £4,000, and) is a structure of brick in the Gothic style, from designs by Mr. John Douglas, architect, of Chester, and consists of nave with eastern apse, aisles and a turret containing a clock and one bell: the stained east window was erected in 1881 as a memorial to Eliza Brown (d. 1868) and Annie Brown (d. 1880): there are 550 sittings, of which 350 are free. The register of marriages dates from the year 1874, and of baptisms from 1838. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £340, with residence, in the gift of the vicar of St. John’s, Chester, and held since 1896 by the Rev. Frank Edwards B.A. of Jesus College, Cambridge.

The Catholic church, dedicated to St. Werburgh, in Grosvenor Park road, was erected in 1875, and is a building of stone in the Gothic style, with sittings for 600.

The Catholic church of St. Francis, in Grosvenor street, erected in 1875, is an edifice of stone, in mixed styles, and will seat 800.

The Catholic Apostolic church, in Church street, Upper Northgate street, built in 1864, will seat 250.

The English Presbyterian church, at the south end of Newgate street, erected in 1846 and rebuilt in 1884, at a cost of £4,000, affords 400 sittings.

The Welsh Calvinistic Methodist chapel, in St. John’s street, erected in 1866, at a cost of about £8,000, is a building of stone in the Gothic style: the west front has a good stained window: all the services here are in the Welsh language: number of sittings, 550. The chapel of this sect in City road, erected in 1864, has 430 sittings.

The Unitarian chapel (English Presbyterian) in Trinity street, erected in 1700, is a plain edifice of brick, with 250 sittings. The celebrated Matthew Henry ministered in this chapel at an early period of his career.

There are four Congregational chapels. The chapel in Queen street, erected in 1772, is of brick, fronted with stone, with a portico and pillars of the Doric order, and has sittings for 1,000 persons. The chapel in Upper Northgate street, erected in 1878, is of stone and has 500 sittings; that in Christleton Road, built in 1872, also seats 500, and that at Handbridge, erected in 1880, will seat 400.

The Wesleyan Methodist chapel in St. John street, built in 1811, is of brick and stone, and has sittings for 800 persons.

The Wesleyan chapel, City road, erected in 1873, at a cost of about £8,000, is of stone, in the Gothic style, and has 700 sittings.

The Welsh Wesleyan chapel, in Queen street, and built in 1884. at a cost of £2,800, will seat 350 persons.

The Methodist New Connexion chapel, in Pepper street, opened in 1835, at a cost of about £5,000, is of brick, faced with stone and ornamented in front with four fluted pillars of the Corinthian order, and will seat 1,000 persons.

There are three Primitive Methodist chapels. That in Commonhall street, erected in 1820, has 420 sittings; the chapel in George street, built in 1887, will seat 780; and that in Tarvin road, erected in 1884 and enlarged 1894, seats 285.

The Baptist chapel, in Grosvenor Park road, erected in 1880 has 400 sittings, and that in Milton street, built in 1882, will seat 600.

The Cemetery, at Overledgh, on the south-west side of the Dee bridge, the property of the Chester Cemetery Co. is 13 acres in extent and has two mortuary chapels. Opposite the cemetery gates is a suspension bridge for foot passengers, leading to Curzon park.

The Town Hall, on the west side of Northgate street, and erected in 1869, at a cost of about £35,000 (to replace the Old Town Hall, burnt in 1862), is a building of red sandstone in the Gothic style, from the designs of Messrs. Lanyon and Lyon, architects, of Belfast. The principal front is about 120 feet in length, with a tower rising to a height of 160 feet, and at each corner of the facade are turrets intended to contain statues. The interior comprises a Sessions court, an assembly room, holding 500 persons, mayor’s parlour, committee rooms and a small ante-room leading to the council chamber, which is a noble apartment, handsomely appointed. The basement is chiefly occupied by the police offices.

The Police Station is at the Town Hall.

The municipal insignia consist of a great mace, a sword of state, mayor’s chain and badge, sheriff’s chain, two staves and a silver oar. The great mace, of silver-gilt, is 4 feet 3 ½ inches in length; the staff, finely chased with spirals of roses and thistles, is divided into three portions by large knops, the foot knop bearing the arms of Stanley, the Isle of Man and the City of Chester, and the latter coat is repeated on the flat plate at the bottom; the head of the mace is surrounded by foliaged figures alternating with the national badges, crowned, and is surmounted by a circlet from which spring the arches of the crown; on the flat top of the head are the royal arms of the Stuarts, and it also bears an inscription showing that it was given to the town in 1668 by Charles, 8th Earl of Derby, lord of Man and the Isles, and who was also then mayor. The sword, 4 feet 2 inches long, has a double-edged steel blade of 39 inches, bearing traces of engraved shields of arms; the guards, or quillons, which curl upwards, and the pommel, are of silver-gilt; the scabbard is covered with red velvet, enclasped at intervals by ten silver-gilt belts and plates, with arms and names of mayors and others from 1668 to 1781. The sword has been reputed to be that presented to the city in 1354 by Richard II. but its shape and ornamentation do not accord with so early a date, and it is most probable that it is the sword given to the city by Henry VII. and mentioned in his first charter, dated 6th April, 1506. The mayor's chain and badge of gold were presented in 1851 by John Williams esq. then mayor; the chain is formed of plain links; the badge, a circular medallion displaying the city arms, within a laurel wreath, depends from an earl’s coronet; the sheriff’s chain, of silver-gilt, is similar in design, and was the gift, in 1869, of Alderman F. Butt. The mayor’s porter’s staff is a silverheaded cane, 6 feet 3 inches long, and was given in 1721 by Thomas Edwards, mayor; the sheriff’s staff, presented in 1867 by Thomas Bowers, then sheriff, is of polished lancewood, 6 feet 8 inches long, and has a silver head bearing the city arms. The silver oar, so called, is of wood cased with silver; it is 14 inches in length and has the Chester hall-mark for 1719—20 and various inscriptions, arms and badges. The common seal, of silver, is 2 ½ inches in diameter and was made in the 17th century, in imitation of the earlier 14th century seal, now lost; the mayor’s seal, also of silver, is smaller and has also been copied from a much older one; in addition to these, the city also possesses one of the original statute merchant seals, dating from about 1283. The mayor and aldermen wear robes of scarlet cloth and sables, and the sheriff one of purple cloth with black velvet facings. The corporation are very rich in silver plate, though it is mostly of late date, the old plate having been sold during the Civil War to provide for the defence of the city and the payment of its debts; the earliest piece now held by the Corporation is a tankard of 1668—9, given to the city by Alderman Ralph Whitley, who died 5th October, 1679.

The castle of Chester, built about 1084 by William the Norman, was originally a fortress of considerable extent, but a great part of it was taken down about 1790 for the purpose of erecting the County Hall, a fine structure in the classic style, from designs by Mr. Thomas Harrison, architect, with a colonnaded portico of the Grecian-Doric order, 103 ft. in length. The large hall is semi-circular in form and is supported by twelve columns of the Ionic order. The western side of the area is occupied by the spacious armoury. Here are held the assizes, county courts, petty sessions and meetings of the County Council; the castle also serves as barracks, and extensive alterations to the building are now (1896) in progress.

Opposite the entrance to the Castle is a bronze equestrian statue of Field-Marshal Viscount Combermere G.C.B. (d. 21st Feb. 1865), modelled by the late Baron Marochetti R.A. and erected in 1879, at a cost of £6,000, subscribed by the inhabitants of the county. The total height is about 24 feet. On one side of the pedestal is an inscription and on the other a list of battles in which Lord Combermere was engaged.

Chester is the head quarters of the North-Western Military District, comprising Anglesey, Carnarvonshire, Cheshire, Cumberland, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Herefordshire, Isle of Man, Lancashire, Merionethshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Westmorland and Worcestershire. The city is also the Depot of Regimental District No. 22, the Cheshire Regiment, comprising the 1st and 2nd Battalions (22nd Foot), 3rd Battalion (1st Royal Cheshire Militia) and 4th Battalion (2nd Royal Cheshire Militia). The 3rd Battalion have barracks in the Castle Esplanade, and the 4th their head quarters at Macclesfield. The Cheshire (Earl of Chester’s) Yeomanry Cavalry have their stores at the Corn Exchange; the 1st Cheshire and Carnarvonshire Artillery have head quarters in Pepper street; and the 2nd Volunteer Battalion (Earl of Chester’s) Cheshire Regiment have head quarters in Albion street.

The Volunteer Drill Hall, in Albion street, erected in 1869, at a cost of about £2,500, is a building of stone with embattled front and a tower, and was designed by Messrs. Kelly and Edwards, architects, of Chester; the hall is 100 feet in length and 60 feet in width, and was refloored in 1891 with wood at a cost of about £400; adjoining is the armoury and magazine, over which are committee and reading rooms, and there is a dwelling house for the hall keeper.

The Campbell Memorial Hall, Boughton, erected at the expense of Mrs. Pitcairn Campbell, in memory of her husband, the Rev. Edward Augustus Pitcairn Campbell M.A. of Vicar’s Cross, Chester, who died in 1892, is a structure of red brick with stone facings, comprising a large hall for entertainments, gymnasium, billiard room, reading room and library. The building, opened Sept. 16, 1895, is vested in trustees for the benefit of the parish of Boughton. Edward S. Giles esq. solicitor, is hon. sec.

The city of Chester was at one time a place of considerable commercial importance, but with the rise of Liverpool it gradually declined; there are, however, some manufactures which include the shot tower and lead smelting works and extensive white lead and paint factories of Messrs. Walkers, Parker and Co. Limited, also tobacco and snuff factories, several timber yards and steam saw mills, breweries, corn mills with steam and water power, and the extensive nursetries of Messrs. Dicksons Limited.

The markets are on Wednesday and Saturday, the latter being the principal day: the Market Hall, in Northgate street, is a spacious building, well supplied with meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, and all kinds of provisions. The corn market, on Saturday, is held in the Corn Exchange, East-gate street, and is well attended by the neighbouring farmers. There is also a weekly market for homed cattle, sheep and pigs held in the Cattle Market, George street, on Thursdays, and sales by auction of fat stock every Tuesday. Cheese fairs are held in the Market Hall, Northgate street, on the third Wednesday in each month. There are also fairs every month for horses and cattle, held on Thursdays; and the following days have been appointed for the year 1896: Jan. 9th, Feb. 6th, March 5th, April 2nd, April 30th, May 28th, June 25th, July 23rd, August 20th, Sept. 17th, October 15th, November 12th, and December 10th.

There are five, newspapers, two of which have a large circulation and have been established more than a century; the third and fourth a few months previous to the repeal of the stamp duty. The fifth (which is a monthly publication) has an extensive circulation amongst the farmers of Cheshire. They are the “Chester Courant,” Conservative, established 1730; “Chester Chronicle,” Liberal, established 1775; “Chester Guardian and Record;” “Cheshire Observer,” established 1851; and “The Farmers’ Herald.”

The Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company’s boats load daily at the Tower wharf and Cow Lane wharf, for Liverpool and principal towns in North Wales, Shropshire and Staffordshire.

The Grosvenor Hotel, on the north side of Eastgate street, erected in 1866 at a cost of £30,000, by the late Marquess of Westminster, is a building of red pressed brick and Bath stone, in the style of the 16th century, from designs by the late Messrs. Penson and Ritchie, architects, of this city. The principal or Eastgate street front includes a continuation of the “Row” on that side of the street, the superstructure being carried on a colonnade of polished Anglesea marble shafts with moulded stone bases, and carved and moulded capitals; the hotel contains a magnificent ball or assembly room, conveniently holding about 300 persons.

The Queen Hotel, adjoining the Railway Station, with which it communicates, was built in 1860, and is an extensive building of stone, with spacious coffee, dining and other rooms. The Hop Pole Hotel, Foregate street, and the Bull and Stirrup Hotel, Upper Northgate street, are also good and well-managed hostelries.

The Post Office, in St. John’s street, erected in 1876, is a handsome red brick building with stone facings, and has commodious offices.

There is a public floating bath on the River Dee, but it is open only in summer.

The Royalty Theatre, in City road, and erected in 1882, is of brick and stone, and will seat about 2,000 persons.

The Music Hall, in Northgate street, an edifice of brick and stone, with an entrance in St. Werburgh street, will seat about 1,000 persons, and is used for concerts &c.

The Public Library and Reading Room, in St. John’s street, formerly the Mechanics’ Institute, was opened as a Free Library in 1876, and comprises lending and reference departments, with a large reading room; the total number of volumes in the library is now (1896) 16,800; the library is managed by a committee of the City Council, and usually consists of 17 members.

The Grosvenor Museum, in Grosvenor street, erected in 1885, at a cost of upwards of £17,000, raised by public subscription, is an edifice of brick and stone in the Renaissance style, from plans by Mr. T. M. Lockwood, architect, of Chester. The museum contains many interesting relics discovered within the city, besides various objects of general historical and archaeological interest; and there is also a natural history museum, and excellent lecture rooms in which the Chester Archoeological and Historic Society and the Society of Natural Science and Literature hold their meetings; the School of Science and Art and the Technical School and School of Cookery are also carried on here.

The Liberal Chib, in Watergate street, was first founded in 1883, the old property Costing £2,500; in 1891—2 the buildings were re-modelled, at a cast of £1,500, and opened 31 March,1892, and now comprise a large assembly room, holding about 600, two billiard rooms, reading room, dining, chess and reception rooms &c. and at the rear is a piece of ground for recreation. The club has recently (1896) been endowed by a gift of £2,500 from the president, Alderman Charles Brown J.P.; it is managed by a committee of 12 members, and there are now (1896) 500 members.

The Conservative Club, in Little St.John street, occupies premises converted for the purposes from an old mansion, and opened in 1886; the interior comprises an assembly room, billiard and chess rooms, dining and reading rooms, and other apartments. The club is managed by a committee, B. C. Roberts J.P. chairman; William Hughes, secretary.

The City Club, in St. Peter’s churchyard, Northgate street, was founded 10 June, 1807, and its buildings, erected in that year at a cost of £3,000, are Classical in style, and were designed by the late Mr. Harrison, architect, of Chester. The club, opened 10 June, 1808, contains reading and billiard rooms, card room and steward’s offices; there are now (1896) 100 proprietory and 34 subscribing members. The club is managed by a committee of 15 persons; C. H. Edwards, secretary.

The Grosvenor Club, in Eastgate street, and erected by the Trustees of Owen Jones's Charity, is a building of red brick, with Helsby and Manley stone dressings, in a late Gothic style, erected in 1883, from the designs of Messrs. Douglas and Fordham, the ground floor of which is in the occupation of the North and South Wales Bank Lim. The club was originally established in 1866, and until 1883 occupied rooms at the Grosvenor Hotel; there are about 250 members, the majority of whom belong to the counties of Cheshire, Flintshire and Denbighshire; Major Randle Ford, hon. sec.

The Cheshire Lunatic Asylum, on an eminence near the Liverpool road: and erected in 1829, is a structure of brick with stone facings, three storeys in height, with a central administrative block of four storeys and two wings; the south side of the building is occupied by the male and the north by the female patients; there are also buildings used as shops for carpenters, engineers, tailors, shoemakers and upholsterers, and for bakehouses and other useful purposes; there are good airing grounds, and close by a farm of about 120 acres; the total cost, with additions, up to 1896 was £123,749; the asylum is available for 671, and there are now (1896) 671 patients; very extensive additions are now (1896) being made, at an estimated cost of £91,000, so as to provide for 416 patients additional.

The charities of the city, for distribution in money and kind, apart from the parochial gifts, amount to about £1,500 yearly.

The Hospital of St. John was founded by Ranulph or Randle de Meschines, surnamed “Blundevil,” 4th Earl of Chester of this family, Duke of Brittany and Earl of Richmond (1181—1232), for the maintenance of thirteen poor and impotent persons, each of them to receive daily throughout the year, a quartern loaf of good bread, a dish of pottage, and a certain pittance of “fish or flesh as the day may be, and half a gallon of competent ale.” The hospital, situated in Tear of the Blue Coat School, forms three sides of a quadrangle, and at present consists of thirteen houses, each containing sitting-room, bed-room and scullery under the same roof, and inhabited by thirteen poor and aged people, male or female, each receiving ten shillings per week, together with gas, a certain allowance of coals during the year and medical attendance; one of the inmates acts as matron and nurse, for which she receives 3s. 10d. per week additional. The chapel of St. John, mentioned above, and now included in St. Oswald’s parish, is a portion of the same foundation, and the whole is under the control of the Local Charity Trustees, the Rev. Joseph, Louis Bedford M.A. of Queen’s College, Cambridge, has been perpetual curate and chaplain since 1881; the whole of the sittings in the chapel are free. The income of the hospital, incorporating that of St. Giles’s hospital, is £761 yearly, derived from houses, lands and tithes.

The Chester General Infirmary in St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields, erected in 1761, is a structure of brick in a plain style, containing 163 beds, 50 of which are for men, 40 for women, 20 for children, 45 for fever cases, and 8 for ophthalmic cases; during the year 1895 there were 1,246 in-patients, 4,014 out-patients, and 2,432 home and district patients. The infirmary is managed by a board elected by the governors, and is supported by voluntary subscriptions and by an annual grant by the Duke of Westminster K.G. from the fees paid to His Grace by the public for viewing Eaton Hall; the grant for the year 1896 amounted to £600.

St. Michael’s Almshouses, in Pepper street, were founded in 1658 by William Jones esq. Middle Temple, Lor don, for 4 men and 6 women, each of whom receives 20s. per month; this charity has a yearly income of £158, derived from property consisting of houses and land.

Wardell's Almshouses, Crook street, were erected in 1859 by William Wardell esq. in connection with Mr. Thomas Green’s Charity of 1602; they are 6 in number and are for aged persons, each of whom receives 8s. per week and a ton of coal yearly.

Mainwaring’s Almshouses in Trinity street, and Timothy Dean’s at Handbridge, have been taken down, and Salman’s in Little St. John street are now (1896) about to be closed by order of the Charity Commissioners.

Grosvenor Park, on the north bank of the Dee, facing an estate called the Queen’s Park, on the opposite bank, comprises about 20 acres, presented to the city in Not. 1867, by the late Marquess of Westminister K.G. who left £100 yearly towards its maintenance; the park is well laid out and includes a small ornamental lake, and in the centre is a monument to the marquess, erected by his tenants and neighbours in 1869. Cinrzon Park is a pleasant suburb, occupying an elevated position on the south bank of the Dee.

The Town Council at their meeting 14 April, 1892, accepted from the Duke of Westminster the munificent gift of a park at Handbridge, which he had purchased and laid out at a cost of £4,000, together with £1,000 for its endowment, and it was opened to the public on April 18; the site includes “Edgar's field,” which is stated to have been the mustering ground of the Roman soldiers, and also the spot from which King Edgar embarked for his journey up the Dee.

The Roodee is a wide and level tract of about 69 acres, on the north bank of the Dee, belonging to the Corporation; and here the Chester race meeting is held every year in May. The present Race Company, of which the Duke of Westminister is chairman, has liberty to enclose the Roodee, and levy gate money, paying to the Town Council one tenth of the gross receipts, and contributing five tenths to the race fund. From the surrounding walls each race can be seen from the commencement to the termination; the Grand stand, erected in 1817, was enlarged in 1855. The ground is also used for the Horticultural Show and Fete, which is held annually.

The Duke of Westminster K.G., P.C. and Earl Howe are the principal landowners.

The area of the city is 2,884 acres of land, 76 of water, and 13 of foreshore; rateable value, £186,839. Chester Castle area, 9 acres, rateable value, £350.

The population in 1891 of the municipal borough was 37,105, viz.: Boughton ward, 10,955; St. John’s ward, 4,122; St. Mary’s ward, 6,020; St. Oswald’s ward, 7,845; and Trinity ward 8,163; included in the population are the inmates and officials in the following institutions: Industrial School, 139;Barracks and Military Hospital, 190; Military Prison, 59; Militia Barracks, 97; and Infirmary, 116; and of the parliamentary borough, 42,297.

Petty Sessions held at Chester Castle every Saturday at 11.30 a.m. and occasional courts are held at the Magistrate's' Clerk’s office when necessary.

The places in the Chester Castle petty sessional division are:-Baches Backford, Blacon-cum-Crabwall, Boughton Great, Capenhurst, Caughall, Chester Castle, Chorlton, Christleton, Claverton, Croughton, Dodleston, Eaton, Eccleston, Elton, Guilden Sutton, Hapsford, Hoole, Huntington, Ince, Kinnerton Lower, Lea, Littleton, Marlston-cum-Lache, Mollington Great, Mollington Little, Moston, Newton-by-Chester, Picton, Poulton, Pulford, Rowton, Saighton, Saughall Great, Saughall Little, Shotwick, Shotwick Park, Stanlow, Stanney, Great, Stanney Little, Stoke, Thornton-in-the-Moors, Trafford Bridge, Trafford Mickle, Trafford Wimbolds, Upton, Wervin, Whitby, Woodbank.

Chester Union

The Board meets every alternate Tuesday, at the Board room, Union workhouse, Hoole, at 10 a.m.

The Union comprises the following places:-Bache, Backford, Blacon-with-Crabwall, Boughton Great, Bridge Trafford, Capenhurst, Caughall, Chester, The Castle, Chorlton-by-Backford, Christleton, Claverton, Crough-ton, Doddleston, Dunham-on-the-Hill, Eaton, Eccleston, Elton, Hapstford, Hoole, Ince, Kinnerton Lower, Lea, Littleton, Marlston-cum-Lache, Mickle Trafford, Mollington Great, Mollington Little, Moston, Newton-by-Chester, Picton, Poulton, Pulford, Saughall Great, Saughall Little, Shotwick, Shotwick Park, Stanlow, Stanney Great, Stanney Little, Stoke, Thornton-le-Moors, Upton, Wervin, Wimbolds Trafford & Woodbank. The population of the union in 1891 was 51,819; rateable value in 1896, £304,521.

The Workhouse, at Hoole, consists of five large blocks of red brick buildings & will hold about 850 inmates.

Almshouses, New Crane street; founded by an ancester of the Duke of Westminster many years ago, for 12 aged freemen of the city, each of whom receive 5s. weekly, supported by the Duke of Westminster.

PLACES OF WORSHIP.

Cathedral, Christ & the Blessed Virgin Mary, on every day, except Sunday, matins at 8 a.m. & 10.15 a.m. Evensong at 4.15 p.m. On Sunday, holy communion at 8 a.m., matins at 10.30 a.m. with sermon. Evensong at 3.30 p.m. also at 6.30 p.m. with sermon. The holy communion is celebrated at 8 a.m. on Thursday, also at 11.15 a.m. on all festivals; & on the first & third Sundays, & on all high festivals after the service at 10.30 a.m.

Churches.

Christ Church, Gloucester street, Brook street, Rev. James Francis Howson M.A. vicar; Rev. Frederick E. B. Wale, curate; 8 & 11 a.m. & 3.15 & 6.30 p.m.; daily, 10 a.m. & 7.45 p.m. except Fri. which is at 7.30 p.m.

Christ Church Mission Room, Back Brook street, 6.30 p.m.; Thur. 7.45.

Holy Trinity, Watergate street, Rev. Laurence Meakin Farrall M.A. rector; 10.45 a.m.; 2.30 & 6.30 p.m.; daily services, 8 a.m.

St. Barnabas Mission Church, Sibell street (Chapel of ease to St. John the Baptist), Rev. Frederick Alex. Screeton B.A. curate in charge; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.45 a.m.

St. John without-the-Northgate, Upper Northgate street, Rev. Joseph Louis Bedford M.A. Incumbent.

St. John the Baptist, Vicars lane, Rev. Samuel Cooper Scott M.A. vicar; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed.7.30 p.m.

St. Martin’s (Welsh), Nicholas street, Rev. Alfred Howell Grey-Edwards M.A. chaplain; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.

St. Mary, St. Mary’s hill (parish church of St. Bridget-with-St. Martin), Venerable Archdeacon Barber M.A. rector; Rev. John R. Pryce M.A. curate; week days, 8 a.m. & 5.30 p.m. in winter & 6.30 p.m. in summer; Sundays, 8 & 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.

St. Mary, Handbridge, Rev. Henry Grantham, rector; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

St. Michael with St. Olave, Bridge Street tow, Rev. Arthur Badford LL.M. vicar; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. & Fri. 11 a.m.

St. Paul, Boughton-in-the-City, Rev. Frank Edwards B.A. vicar; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 8 p.m.

St. Peter, The Cross, Rev. Francis Tilney Stonex M.A. rector; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

St. Thomas, Parkgate road (parish church of St. Oswald’s), Rev. Ernest Campbell Lowndes M.A. vicar; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

St. Werburgh Catholic, Grosvenor Park Road, Very Rev. Canon Edward Lynch, rector & Rev. James Abram, priest; mass, 8, 9.30 & 11 a.m.; compline, serm. & benediction, 6.30 p.m.; holy days of oblig. mass, 7, 8, 9.30 & 11 a.m.; rosary & benediction, 7.30 p.m.; daily mass, 8.30 a.m.; Thur. rosary & benediction, 7.30 a.m.; rosary every even. 7.30 p.m.; confessions are heard before & after every service.

St. Francis Catholic, Grosvenor street, Rev. Bernardine Fish, Joseph Cullen, Francis Considine, Alphonsus Longhman & Seraphin Honniball, priests; mass, 8, 9 & 11 a.m.; catechism & benediction, 3, & vespers, serm. & benediction, 6.30 p.m.; holidays of oblig. mass, 7, 9 & 11 a.m.; daily mass, 7 & 8 a.m.; rosary every even. 7.30 p.m.; benediction, Tues. & Thur.

Catholic Apostolic, Church street, Northgate; 10.15 a.m.; 5.15 p.m.

English Presbyterian, Newgate st. Rev. John C. Mitchell B.D.; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 8 p.m.

Presbyterian, City road; 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7 p.m.

Baptist (Particular), Hamilton place; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Tues. 7.15 p.m. Baptist, Grosvenor Park road, Rev. Joseph B. Morgan; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Tues. 7.15 p.m.

Baptist, Milton street, Rev. William Povey; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Tues. & Thur. 7.30 p.m.

Baptist (Welsh), Upper Northgate street, Rev. M. F. Wynne; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.

Calvinistic Methodist (Welsh), St. John’s street, Rev. John Pryce Davies M.A.; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.; Tues. 7 p.m.

Church of Christ, Upper Northgate street, Rev. E. M. Todd; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.

Congregational, Upper Northgate st. Rev. Fred. Barnes B\A.; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Tues. 7 p.m.

Congregational, Christelton road, Rev. John Morgan; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

Congregational, Handbridge, Rev. William Jones; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Tues. & Thur. 7.30 p.m.

Congregational, Queen street, Rev. James William Clark; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Thur. 7.30 p.m.

Congregational (Welsh), Albion street, Rev. Elias Davies 10.45 a.m. & 6 p.m.; Mon. & Fri. 7.30 p.m.

Congregational (Welsh), Gorse Stacks, Rev. Ezra Johnson; 10.30 a.m. &; 6 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

Methodist New Connexion, Pepper street, Rev. William D. Gunstone; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.45 p.m.

Plymouth Brethren, 6 Bollands court, Whitefriars; 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Tues. & Thur. 7.15 p.m.

Primitive Methodist, Tarvin road, Rev. John Wilkinson; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Mon. 7.30 p.m.

Primitive Methodist, Commonhall street, Rev. William Spedding; 10.45 a.m., & 6.30 p.m.; Mon. 7 p.m.

Primitive Methodist, George street, Rev. William Robt. Bird & Rev. P. Gibbon; 10.30. a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Thur. 7.30 p.m.

Unitarian, Trinity street, Rev. John Knowles Montgomery; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m. Wesleyan, City road; 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

Wesleyan, St.John’s street; 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; wed. 7.30 p.m.

Wesleyan (Welsh), Queen street, Rev. Richard Morgan; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.; Wed. 7 p.m.

St. Oswald’s Parish Mission Church, of the Good Shepherd, South view, Town wharf; 10 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Fridays, 7.30 p.m.

St. Paul’s Mission Room, Hoole lane, Boughton; 6.30 p.m.; Thur. 7.30 p.m.

City Mission Lecture Room, Crook street; 6.30 p.m.; wed. 7.30 p.m.

Garden Lane Mission Room (Wesleyan); 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7 p.m.

Gospel Mission Hall, Frodsham street; sun. 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.

Salvation Army Barracks, Union hall, Foregate street, Capt. David Haggard; Sunday, 7 & 11 a.m. & 3 & 6 p.m.; daily, 8 p.m.

Working Men’s Gospel Mission Hall, Frodsham street; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Tues. & Thur. 8 p.m.

SCHOOLS

King’s School, Northgate street, founded by King Henry VIII. in 1541, & re-organized under the “Endowed Schools Act,” in 1873. The object of the foundation is to supply a liberal education by means of this school, in connection with the Cathedral Church of Chester, under the “Endowed Schools Act, 1869” (32 & 33 Vict. c. 56). The present building, erected in 1877, at a cost of £20,000, from designs by Sir A. W. Blomfield A.R.A., F.S.A, is of red sandstone, with convenient class-rooms & offices, & will hold 200 boys. A field is rented in the suburbs to be used as a playground. The school is controlled by a body of governors. The endowment amounts to about £600 yearly & there are now (1896) no boys.

There is not a School Board for Chester, but the School Attendance Committee supply its place in carrying into operation & enforcing the Elementary Education Act, 1870.

Diocesan Training College for School Masters, Park Gate road, Rev. John Dugdale Best M.A. principal; Rev. Edward Nottingham M.A. vice principal.

College Practising School, Park Gate road, A. E. Lovell, master.

School of Art & Grosvenor Museum, Grosvenor street, Giles R. Griffith, hon. sec.

School of Cookery, Grosvenor street, Drs. Keith Douglas, hon. sec.

Technical School, Grosvenor street, John A. McMichael B.Sc. headmaster; J. W. Marriott, wood work instructor.

The Blue Coat School in Upper Northgate street, occupying a portion of the site belonging to the Hospital of St. John the Baptist, was founded in 1700, by public subscription, under the auspices of Dr. Nicholas Stratford, them Bishop of Chester, & is a structure of brick, forming three sides of a quadrangle; the west side & north wing comprise the school, the dormitories, board room & master’s apartments; the south wing is the chapel of St. John the Baptist with-out-the-Northgate, of which a separate account will be found among the descriptions of churches: in the school room is a bust of Bishop Stratford with an inscription: thirty-six boys are educated, clothed, lodged & boarded, & sixty-four day boys are educated only; from the latter, boys are elected annually to the board & clothing foundation, as vacancies occur, orphan's & sons, of widows having priority: the school is supported by voluntary subscriptions, & by the revenues arising from landed property & stock in the public funds, now producing an income of £900 yearly. John Elvy Hardy, headmaster; Thomas Owen Meacock, second master; Bugle-Major Handley, bandmaster; Sergeant Spooner, drill master; Mrs. Margaret Young, matron.

Blue Charity (girls), Vicar’s lane, founded in 1711; the present building was errected in 1872 on a site given by Hugh Lupus, 3rd Marquess of Westminster, for 18 girls. The school is intended for the education & training of girls for domestic service. A small sum of money is given when a girl leaves the school, for clothing, & a further bounty if her conduct deserves it while in her situation. There are now (1896) 18 girls. Miss Mary Ellen Fleetwood, matron.

Chester Diocesan (boys), George street, Upper Northgate street, established in 1812, & managed by a committee; the building is capable of receiving 400 children; present attendance, 130.

Bishop Graham Memorial, Princess street, built in 1867 & enlarged in 1895, for 200 children; average attendance, 125.

The Queen’s School for Girls, was founded in May 1878, & up to 1883 occupied premises at 100 Watergate flags, when the present building was erected at a cost of about £4,000 on a site near the city walls, given by the Duke of Westminster K.G. & commanding an extensive view of the River Dee & the Welsh hills; it is of brick with stone dressings from designs by Mr. E. A. Ould, architect, of Chester, & has convenient class rooms & a residence for the headmistress; over the principal entrance is a statue of the Queen in terracotta, executed by Mr. Edward Griffith, of Chester. The object of the foundation is to provide an education for girls similar in general character to that given in the King’s School for boys. Pupils are prepared for the Cambridge local examinations & the. General examination of the school is conducted by the Oxford & Cambridge board. The present average of scholars is from 120 to 130. Mrs. Henry R. P. Sandford, headmistress; in connection with the school are boarding houses.

Certified Industrial, Boughton-in-the-City, certified July 3. 1863, Edward H. Thomas, supt.; Miss Harriett Thomas, matron.

Higher Grade (girls), Hunter’s walk, founded in 1886, for 218 girls; average attendance, 173.

Modern (boys), Grosvenor street. Holy Trinity, National (boys), Linen Hall street, built in 1868, for 200 boys; average attendance, 110; (girls), Trinity street, built in 1868, for 200 girls; average attendance, 103.

St. Barnabas (infants), Sibell street, erected in 1877, for 180 infants; average attendance, 140.

St. John’s, Vicar’s lane, erected in 1883 at a cost of £7,000, by the Duke of Westminster, K.G., P.C. for 297 boys, 297 girls & 150 infants; average attendance, 260 boys, 200 girls & 90 infants.

St. Mary’s (infants), St. Mary’s hill, for 230; average attendance, 104.

St. Mairy’s, Handbrddge, built by the Duke of Westminster K.G., P.C. in 1866, for 220 boys, 200 girls & 240 infants; average attendance, 170 boys, 160 girls & 160 infants.

St. Michael’s with St. Olave’s (mixed), Lower Bridge st. erected in 1879, for 107 children; average attendance, 110.

St. Oswald’s (infants), South view, Tower wharf, for 177; average attendance, 100.

St. Paul’s, Boughton-in-the-City, erected in 1857, for 300 boys, 220 girls & 170 infants; average attendance, 310 boys, 200 girls & 140 infants.

St. Peter’s (infants), Hamilton place, rebuilt in 1888, for 200 infants; average attendance, 165.

St. Thomas’ (girls), Parkgate road, erected in 1873, for 200 girls; average attendance, 150; (infants), erected in 1887, for 99; average attendance, 88.

Christ Church (boys), Black Diamond street, erected in 1874, for 260 boys; average attendance, 215; (girls), Church place, erected in 1840 & enlarged in 1872 & 1879, for 300 girls & 240 infants; average attendance, 260 girls & 200 infants.

British, Christleton road, Boughton, (mixed), erected in 1866, for 150; average attendance, 121; (infants), for 100; average, 90.

British, Victoria road, erected in 1870, for 320 boys, 200 girls & 127 infants; average attendance, 230 boys, 140 girls & 85 infants.

St. Werburgh’s Catholic, Union walk, for 200 boys & 288 infants; average attendance, 157 boys & 187 infants.

St. Francis Catholic, Cuppin street (mixed & infants), erected in 1883, for 160 mixed & 148 infants; average attendance, 84 mixed & 43 infants.

St. Werburgh’s Catholic (girls), Queen street, for 200 girls; average attendance, 170.

Catholic Convent, Dee house, St. John’s street, Madame Blackett, superioress.

Wesleyan (boys & girls), (Higher grade), St. John’s st. erected in 1842, for 220 boys & 220 girls; average attendance, 180 boys & 160 girls.

Wesleyan (infants) (Higher grade), St. John’s street, erected in 1782, for 197 children; average attendance, 112; the school is now (1896) being rebuilt and is carried on temporarily at Pepper street.