CHESTER ITINERARY OF THE COUNTY, &c. ing to the Canal Wharf,¶ the Sluice-house, &c. The east, north, and west,-the view into Wales is exten- • The pyramidal mountain called MOEL FAMMA, with the Jubilee Column on its apex, and the other hills of the Clwydian range, form an interesting boundary to the western view. The Church, and Castle of Hawarden may also be seen, embosomed in a thickly wooded district. + The front is ornamented with the remains of some fine sculpture, which remained perfect before the year 1813, when it was mischievously destroyed. On the west side are the City Arms; on the east, the Royal Arms; in the centre is this inscription :--" year of the glorious Reign of Queen Anne, diverse large breaches in these Walls were rebuilt, and other decays therein, were repaired, two Thousand yards of the pace were new Flagged or Paved, and the whole Improved, Regulated, and Adorned, at the expense of One Thousand Pounds and upwards. Thomas Hand, Esq. Mayor, 1701. The Rt. Honble. William Earl of Derby, Mayor, 1702, who dyed in his Mayoralty. THE WATERGATE.-The Corporation purchased THOMAS COTGREAVE ESQRS. MURENGERS. The Walls extend in a straight line to the CASTLE,‡‡ During the Plague, vast numbers of the Inhabitants were buried in this field; it is the property of the Dean and Chapter. It was erected by John Helpstone, in 1522, who contracted to build it twenty-four yards high, and ten and a half yards in diameter; the entire expense £100. It has embrazures, and ships were formerly moored to its wall, the iron rings for that purpose remaining till within the last fifty years. § A few yards west of the postern, in the wall, is an arch, filed up, which was probably the original postern to the water side. A convenient Packet to Liverpool, proceeds daily to Whitby, where a handsome and commodious masted Packet conveys passengers across the Mersey. ** See further account of this in page 201. + It is supposed it passed to this family, with the Barony of Montalt, and the Rectory of Trinity, and was an appendage to the seneschalship of the Earldom.--ORM. # A view of the Higher Ward, and Prison, from the south-west angle, is given in the accompanying plate. A few centuries ago, the river overflowed the Roodeye, and the land on which now stands Crane-street: the former, it would seem, was nearly covered, for "the Cross seemed to stand in the water."The Roodeye, it is scarcely necessary to say, was the Champ de Mars of our Ancestors; and here they enjoyed their athletic sports.-- HISTORY. CHESTER ITINERARY OF THE COUNTY, &c. NUNS' GARDENS on the left hand; from thence in a line nearly due east, passing by the boundary wall of the COUNTY GAOL, the SKINNERS' HOUSES, and the HOLE-IN-THE-WALL,* THE BRIDGE GATE-is crossed, opposite which are the DEE MILLS, and WATER WORKS.-It appears from Documents in the possession of the Earl of Shrewsbury, that Randle Earl of Chester, confirmed a gift of bis Countess to Poyns, her servant, of premises near the Castle, habere suo servicio. This confirmation was witnessed by Fulco de Bricasart, Benedict, brother of the Earl, William Pincerna, Philip the Chamberlain, and others; and is supposed to allude to the Custody of the Bridge Gate.-Another deed, however, preserved among the same documents, speaks more decidedly of the locus in quo: it appears from it, that the ancestors of Richard Bagot had long held the Custody of this Gate, but being unable by misfortune, to discharge its duties, and especially in time of war, he released it at a Portmote Court, to Philip the Clerk, a Citizen of Chester, and his heirs. This was about the year 1269 or 1270. Avicia, the daughter of this Philip, married Roger Grymbald, but the Keeping of the Gate reverted to Robert de Raby, who was the next heir. It passed from the Rabys, to the Norris's, of Speke, (Lanc.) and the Troutbecks. The Corporation purchased the Norris moiety in 1624, and the other moiety they purchased from the Earl of Shrewsbury, the representative of the Troutbecks, in 1660, the Earl reserving for himself and heirs, a suit of rooms in a house near the Gate, now the property of Sir John Cotgreave, Knt. The Old Gate was defended by two strong round towers; A descent to the Roodeye, opposite the Nun's Gardens, is called the SALLY-PORT STEPS. * For an account of this, see page 280. + « Sciant, &c. quod ego Ricardus Bagoth de Cestr dedi, &c. et omnino quietam clamavi Philippo clerico, civi Cestr,' totum jus meum, &c. in PORTA PONTIS Cestr' cum omnibus pertinencijs suis. Habend', &c. &c. Et quia servicium dicte porte propter paupertatem et inpotenciam debito modo et maxime in guerra sustinere non potui, predictum jus meum," &c.---ORM. This gate was a most important situation during the predatory inroads of the Welsh. In an Inq. of 20th James I. Sir Wm. Troutbeck, is said to have held the Serjeantcy of this Gate, and the Custody of the Castle Garden, by reason of his possessing the Manors of Little Neston and Hargreave, but it does not appear at what time these tenures were connected. Philip de Raby, temp. Edw. III. had, together with the custody of the Gate, that of the Earl's Garden, at the Castle, for which service he was entitled to the fruit of a certain tree, called "A RESTYNGE-TRE," and to the fruit of the other trees after the first shaking; but he was to furnish the Earl's household with colewort from Michaelmas to Lent, and with leeks during Lent. From an Inq. 1321, it appears that the Keeper of the Gate, was bound to find locks and keys for the Bridge Gate, and the neighbouring postern---SHIPGATE' OR HOLE-IN-THE-WALL; and a man to watch, and open and shut the gates. Taken down 1780, and 1781. HISTORY. CHESTER THOS. COTGREAVE, AND HENRY HESKETH, '} ITINERARY OF THE COUNTY, &c. Esquires, Aldermen, and Murengers. JOSEPH TURNER, Architect. "At this time, France, Spain and the States of Holland, leagued with the British American Colonies (now in open and ungrateful rebellion 1) are endeavoring the destruction of the Empire of Britain! her Freedom! her Religion! her Laws! and her Honor! In support of which blessings, her armies and navies, are bravely contending in every quarter of the Globe-May the God of armies go forth with them!" On the occasion of the arrival of the news of Admiral Rodney's naval triumph, there was indorsed on the Plate "The great and joyful news was announced this day, of the British fleet under the command of Admirals Rod On the King's Birth-day, annually, there are boat and coracle races, on the river below this part of the Walls, which attract great numbers of people. The land beneath the Walls is called THE GROVES, from a regular line of fine trees which formerly ornamented the River side, from the BRIDGE to BARREL WELL, but most of them are now cut down, and the road itself is stopped up. The steps which lead from the Walls to the Groves, are called THE RECORDER'S STEPS, and were erected at the expense of the Corporation, about 1700, for the conve ney, Hood, and Drake, having defeated the French flect, in the West Indies, taking the French Admiral De Grasse, and five ships of the line, and sunk one.-The battle continued close and bloody for eleven hours." The view of the Dee from the Bridge Gate, is truly delightful, and the Walk from thence to the flight of steps, called THE WISHING STEPS, was a favorite promenade of the late venerable Bishop Porteus.* On the top of the Wishing Steps, is a WATCH TOWER, which affords a delightful view of the Forest, and Broxton Hills, Beeston Castle, Bolesworth Castle, &c. About 130 yards further on in a northerly direction is NEWGATE. It was built in 1608, when the postern called WOLF's, or WOLFADES GATE, and sometimes PEPPERGATE was removed. A few yards beyond the Newgate, is the remains of THIMBLEBY'S TOWER: and the wall passes by the Methodist Chapel to the Eastgatewhich completes the Circuit. nience of Recorder Comberbach, who resided in Duke-street. + Fuller says, in support of an old tradition-that " The Mayor of the City had his daughter, as she was playing at ball with other maidens in Pepper-street, stolen away by a Young Man through the same gate, whereupon he caused it to be shut up"-from which circumstance arose the saying--"When the daughter is stolen, shut Pepper Gate." HISTORY. |