The Stranger's Handbook to Chester and Its Environs: Containing a short sketch of its history and antiquities, a descriptive walk round the walls, and a visit to the cathedral, castle, and Eaton Hall. — John Shaqi
The Stranger's Handbook to Chester and Its Environs: Containing a short sketch of its history and antiquities, a descriptive walk round the walls, and a visit to the cathedral, castle, and Eaton Hall.Hughes, Thomas
History
The Stranger's Handbook to Chester and Its Environs: Containing a short sketch of its history and antiquities, a descriptive walk round the walls, and a visit to the cathedral, castle, and Eaton Hall.
Hughes, Thomas
Chester (England) -- Guidebooks
“Behind this building is the Constable’s residence, a terrace in front of
which commands a view of the Chapel, and Felons’ Yards below, five in
number. The Debtors’ Yards form quadrangles on the right and left of the
Constable’s house, on a level with the Castle Yard.”
The Churches of St. Mary, and St. Bridget, are both within a stone’s
throw; but we must leave them for the present, and continue our
interesting “Walk round the Walls.” In a few minutes we arrive at the
angle of the Walls, where the massive ramparts of the Castle frown
majestically above us, while below, the classic waters of the Dee flow
languidly on, regardless of yon noble and magnificent stone Bridge,
which, with its unequalled single arch of 200 feet span, crosses the
river a short distance away from us. This is the GROSVENOR BRIDGE,
finished in 1832, at a cost of 30,000_l._ and formally opened in October
of that year, by Her present Most Gracious Majesty, then Princess
Victoria. It has the reputation of being the _largest stone arch in the
world_. Immediately to the left of the Bridge is the Cemetery, of which
more hereafter.
Again we pass onwards, having on our left the higher wards of the Castle,
Julius Cæsar’s Tower, and the lofty boundary wall of the new County Gaol.
Cæsar’s Tower (so called) has of late years been converted into a powder
magazine, and may, some day or other, make itself both heard and felt by
the citizens, unless they procure the removal of the magazine to some
more distant and fitting locality.
Still onwards, by the side of the Dee, and we approach the Old Dee Bridge
and Mills, having on the opposite shore the suburb of HANDBRIDGE, called
by the Welsh _Treboeth_, or _burnt town_, from its having been so often
razed to the ground during their predatory incursions. Yonder is EDGAR’S
FIELD, so called from the palace of that Saxon monarch having been
traditionally situate there. In this field is a projecting rock,
partially excavated, still bearing the name of EDGAR’S CAVE; and the
tradition is that, in 971, that monarch was rowed from thence to St.
John’s Church by six petty kings or princes, in token of their subjection
to his rule. At the entrance of the cave is a rude sculpture, supposed
to represent Minerva, accompanied by her usual symbol, the owl.
Where we are now standing was, fifty years ago, an ancient postern,
called the SHIPGATE, or _Sheepgate_, from which went a ford across the
river into Handbridge. The gate itself, of Roman construction, on being
taken down, was carefully preserved, and now ornaments the garden of the
present town clerk, J. Finchett-Maddock, Esq., in Abbey Square.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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