The initials of Randle Holme, the builder. This was the mansion of the family of Holme, the famous Cheshire antiquaries. In the year 1670, the third Randle made some important and obnoxious alterations, which brought upon him the censure of the Corporation, who ordered that “the nuisance erected by Randle Holme in his new building in Bridge-street, near to the two churches, be taken down, as it annoys his neighbours, and hinders their prospect from their houses.” He proceeded with his work, however, _sans cérémonie_; and in the following year Mr. Holme, painter, “was fined £3 6s. 8d. for contempt to the Mayor, in _proceeding_ in his building in Bridge-street.” It continued the residence of that heraldic family so late as 1707. It appears that the Holme family subsequently sank into extreme indigence, and at no very distant period, we believe, a descendant was an occasional boots and waiter at a tavern in Liverpool. Such are the reverses of fortune! How this property became alienated from the Holmeses has not been ascertained. It was occupied about the middle of the last century as a public-house, called “The Lamb,” whence it derived the name of the Lamb-row. In 1821, in the middle of the day, it suddenly gave way and tumbled into the street: happily without any injury to the inhabitants. An old woman was sitting in the upper room at the moment the overhanging roof bore down the trembling building beneath; the wall of the apartment separated within six inches of a chair on which she was seated, but she fortunately escaped. After passing Grosvenor-street, we come to White Friars, which derives its name from a monastery of Carmelites or White Friars being once located there. The next turning is Common Hall-street, so called from its being the place where the Common Hall of the city formerly stood, as its name imports. Some think that it occupied the site of a building now used as a Dissenting chapel; but Ormerod is of opinion that it stood on the _south_ side of the street, near to several old almshouses which still remain. Prior to the era of the Reformation, Chester abounded in religious institutions and edifices. We have already indicated this fact, in pointing out the localities where some of these religious buildings were situated. There are many convincing evidences, in the lower part of several houses in the principal streets, that they have been erected on the ruins of these ecclesiastical foundations. A remarkable instance in support of this supposition has recently been brought to light, upon clearing out an underground cellar behind the shop of Messrs. Powell and Edwards, cutlers, a little farther up in the street, when the remains of AN ANCIENT CHAPEL