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
Some thirty yards up the street, on the right hand, is Cuppin Street,
before noticed; and nearly opposite to it, an old and narrow street
called _Bunce Lane_, leading off to St. Mary’s Church and the Castle.
Beyond, upon the same side, is an elegant structure of white freestone,
erected in 1853, from the designs of Mr. James Harrison, of this city, to
wit, the Chester SAVINGS BANK. The architecture of this building is of
the Tudor style; and the genius of Mr. Harrison has accomplished a work
which, while highly creditable to himself, is, at the same time, a
genuine ornament to the city. The clock turret at the north-west corner,
though it somewhat destroys the equilibrium of sight, yet, on the whole,
adds much of beauty to the general fabric. The clock, which works four
faces, and chimes the quarters on two melodious bells, was constructed by
Mr. Joyce, of Whitchurch.
The ordinary business of this Bank is conducted in two large rooms,
nearly twenty feet square, on the ground floor; over which a spiral
staircase conducts to the committee and lecture-room, a noble apartment,
forty-one feet long by twenty feet wide, lit on the north and west sides
by four handsome traceried windows. The panelled ceiling, and other
internal decorations of this room, are exceedingly chaste, and in happy
unison with its exterior character. The Bank was formally transferred
here from Goss Street in March, 1853. Here the poor and thrifty hoard up
their little savings; the shillings grow into pounds, and provision is
thus quietly, but surely, made against the rainy day. Let us never
despise the day of small things, remembering that the foundation of many
a rich man’s fortune has been laid with his first shilling deposited in a
Savings Bank.
On the right is St. Bridget’s Church; and from this spot we obtain a
capital view of the CASTLE, including the Grand Entrance, Shire Hall,
Barrack Square, and Julius Cæsar’s Tower. We have noticed the Castle
more particularly in our “Walk round the City Walls;” so we will now pass
on towards the Grosvenor Bridge, one of the modern wonders of old
Chester. From the parapet of this bridge we obtain a splendid view of
the Roodeye and river, as well as of the Viaduct and Railway Bridge in
the distance. This bridge has obtained an unenviable notoriety from its
having broken down with a passenger train, on May 24, 1847, precipitating
the whole of the carriages and passengers into the river below. By this
accident four persons were killed upon the spot, and very many others
more or less injured.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account