It is our purpose now to conduct the tourist through the city, that we may point out, in detail, the various objects of interest which claim his attentive inspection. But before commencing our perambulations through the principal streets, we will here introduce a few remarks on that unique feature which constitutes the distinguishing attraction of Chester, and has given it universal celebrity.

The Rows.

Very curious are these old arcades, which are as interesting to the antiquarian as they are convenient for a quiet lounge to ladies and others engaged in shopping. They occupy the greatest part of both sides of Eastgate-street, and the upper parts of both sides of Watergate-street and Bridge-street. Those in Northgate-street are more irregular, only one side, commonly called Shoemakers’-row, being used as a regular thoroughfare. Their appearance, both interior and exterior, is extremely singular. They form a gallery, occupying the front floor of each house, parallel with the streets below, and are approached by flights of steps, placed at convenient distances, in addition to those by which they are entered and quitted at each end. The passenger walks over the shops on a level with the street, and under the first floor of the dwelling-houses; and thus two lines of shops are erected in one front. The rows are kept in excellent repair, and form the chief promenade of the citizens. To strangers they cannot fail to prove an object of curiosity. The shops in the rows are generally considered the best situations for retail traders; but those on the southern side of Eastgate-street and the eastern side of Bridge-street have a decided preference. Shops let here at high rents, and are in never-failing request; and there are no parts of the city which have undergone such rapid or extensive improvements.

In the sixteenth century the rows appear not to have exceeded 6 feet in height and 10 in width, with clumsy wooden rails towards the street, and large oaken pillars, supporting transverse beams and brackets, on which rested the houses over head, formed of wood and plaster, so far overhanging the street, that in some places the upper floors of opposite houses nearly met. Nearly the whole of the buildings of this description are now taken down; and in rebuilding care has been taken to raise and widen the rows, and to place iron railings towards the street in place of the wooden posts formerly used. The shops in the rows present a very different appearance to that of about sixty years ago; then, as Hemingway says, “the fronts were all open to the row in two or three compartments, according to their size; and at night were closed by large hanging shutters fixed on hinges, and fastened in the daytime by hooks to the ceiling of the row.” At present these rows are “capable of supplying all the real demands of convenience and the artificial calls of luxury, mental and corporeal, presenting a cluster of drapers, clothiers, jewellers, booksellers, &c., as respectable as the kingdom can produce.” [50] The origin and cause of the rows has furnished matter for much curious investigation; and many conflicting conjectures have been propounded respecting them. The subject is involved in much obscurity; and, in the absence of any positive data, we are not able to take higher ground than the probabilities of the case. It has been alleged that they were originally used as places of defence, from whence to annoy and repulse the assaults of the enemy, who might gain entrance into the streets beneath by surprising the gates, during those remote ages when Chester was subject to the sudden incursions of the Welsh. But against this opinion it may be urged, that in no one of their attacks upon this city did the Welsh ever force their way within the gates or walls; so that these latter, being proved by experience to be a sufficient bulwark against our foes, there existed no necessity for the erection of any further defences. There is irrefragable evidence that the form of the city is Roman, and that the walls were the work of that people; and the same reasons which justify these conclusions are not less cogent for presuming that the construction of the streets are Roman also. Pennant appears to have arrived at this conclusion:—he says, “These rows appear to me to have been the same with the ancient vestibules, and to have been a form of building preserved from the time that the city was possessed by the Romans. They were built before the doors, midway between the streets and the houses, and were the places where dependants waited for the coming out of their patrons, and under which they might walk away the tedious minutes of expectation. Plautus, in the 3rd act of his Mostella, describes both their station and use. The shops beneath the rows were the CryptÆ and ApothecÆ, magazines for the various necessaries of the owners of the houses.”

Ormerod says that some of these crypts exhibit specimens of vaulting equal to the cloisters of our Cathedral.

Camden, in describing Chester, says, “The houses are very fair built, and along the chief streets are galleries or walking places they call rows, having shops on both sides, through which a man may walk dry from one end to the other.” And Shukeley, in his ‘Itinerary,’ in 1724, says, “The rows or piazzas are singular through the whole town, giving shelter to foot people. I fancied it a remain of the Roman porticoes.”

In the oldest histories, descriptive of the city in some form or other, the elevated rows and the shops beneath are recognized.

Tacitus, “in describing the process by which Roman manners diffused themselves throughout Britain, and gradually completed the subjugation of the country, speaks of the natives of Britain as acquiring a taste for the two leading features in Roman civilization, ‘Porticus and Balnea,’—the portico, in which they were delighted to stroll and sun themselves; and the baths, which were their national luxury. He mentions these, and we cannot but be struck by the coincidence with things with which we are all familiar—the rows of our ancient city, and the Hypocaust, which is still shown as the Roman bath. We are hereby led to infer, that the mode of construction which gives the character to our city, originated in Roman habits.” [51]

Principal Streets.

Within the walls, the city is subdivided by four principal streets, intersecting each other nearly at right angles at St. Peter’s Church, which stands in the centre of the city. These streets retain numerous old timber buildings, which give them an unusual and quaint appearance, and are wider in general than those of cities of equal antiquity. Immediately in front of the church formerly stood the High Cross, which was pulled down and defaced by the Parliamentarians, when they took possession of the city in 1646. The upper portion of this valuable antiquity is still preserved in the grounds of Netherlegh House, though some of the carved figures are a good deal injured. Mr. Pennant is of opinion that St. Peter’s Church, and a few houses to the north and west, occupy the site of the Roman PrÆtorium, with its Court of Judicature and Angulale, where prayers, sacrifices, and other religious rites were wont to be performed.

Adjoining the Cross formerly stood that ignominious instrument of punishment, called the Pillory.

Adjoining the south side of St. Peter’s Church stood the old Pentice, where the magistrates performed their judicial duties, where the sheriffs sat to determine civil causes, and where the Town-office was kept, until the year 1803, when it was removed for the purpose of widening the road into Northgate and Watergate streets, at that time extremely narrow and dangerous. The bench of magistrates was then removed to much more commodious apartments in the Exchange. At the corner of the east of Bridge-street and the west of Eastgate-street, and near to the Cross, there was formerly a small stone building, forming a basin at the top, called the Conduit, to which water was formerly brought into the city from St. Giles’s well at Boughton, and thence conveyed to different parts of the city.

The Cross used formerly to be the scene of the barbarous sport of bull-baiting, of which the following satirical sketch is given in an old History of Chester:—

“The Cross is famous for being the annual scene of exhibition of that polite play called a bull-bait, where four or five of these horned heroes are attended by several hundred lovers of that rational amusement. Till within a few years, the dramatis personÆ of this elegant scene included even magistracy itself, the mayor and corporation attending in their official habiliments, at the Pentice windows, 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, with all the gravity and solemnity of an oration before a Romish sacrifice; the elegant composition of which ran thus—‘Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! If any man stands within twenty yards of the bull-ring, let him take—what comes.’ After which followed the usual public ejaculations, for ‘the safety of the king and the mayor of the city;’ when the beauties of the scene commenced, and the dogs immediately fell to. Here a prayer for his worship was not unseasonable, as even the ermin’d cloak was no security against the carcases of dead animals, with which spectators, without distinction, were occasionally saluted.

Eastgate Street, Chester

“We shall not attempt a description of the tender offices practised, at such times, on so noble a creature—one, however, we cannot omit mentioning: in 1787, an unfortunate animal, smarting under his wounds and fatigue, was very naturally induced to lie down;—the argument made use of, in this situation, however, as naturally induced him to get up; his humane followers hitting upon the ingenious expedient of setting fire to some straw under his body, when, it is hardly necessary to add, ‘the wretched animal heav’d forth such groans, as stretch’d his leathern coat almost to bursting.’ This circumstance of the fire was, however, no bad satire (emblematically considered) on the transactions of the day—the whole being little better than a—‘burning shame.’

“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 these days; and Mr. Alderman Brodhurst, in his mayoralty, made a laudable but ineffectual effort to suppress a relic of barbarism ‘more honoured in the breach than the observance.’”

Eastgate Street,

a spacious street, forming a direct line to the Eastgate, about 209 yards in length. The appearance of the street has been considerably modernized of late years; many of the old houses having been taken down, and spacious shops and dwelling-houses erected on their site. There is a very interesting old crypt to be seen on the premises of Messrs. Prichard and Dodd, which furnishes an additional illustration of the statement, that many of the buildings in the principal streets are erected on the remains of ancient religious houses. Dr. Ormerod gives it as his opinion that these conventual buildings occupied nearly, if not wholly, one-fourth of the city. The handsome premises occupied by Mr. Hugh Roberts, bookseller, and by Mr. Bolland, confectioner, have latterly been rebuilt in an elegantly appropriate style of architecture: and Messrs. Brown are now (1858) erecting a splendid range of shops. About two-thirds down the street on the right is Newgate-street; and opposite is St. Werburgh’s-street, leading to the Cathedral. There are two excellent inns in Eastgate-street—the Green Dragon and the Royal Hotel; the latter being a large and lofty edifice, the front resting on round stone pillars, between which, and the coffee-room there is a capacious piazza. Passing under the arch of the Eastgate, you enter

Foregate Street,

a spacious airy street, about 572 yards in length, and in most parts 18 in breadth; on the right hand is St. John-street, in which is situated the Post-office, and a little lower down the Mechanics’ Institution and News-room. The spacious circular building is a place of worship used by the Wesley an Methodists. The narrow street on the left leads to St. John’s Church and Priory, which will amply repay a careful and attentive study. Returning to the Cross, we now proceed down

Watergate Street,

which possesses remarkable interest, from the number of very old houses still remaining in it. This street has perhaps suffered less from the innovation of modern improvement than any other part of Chester. The rows on both sides extend nearly to the bottom of the street, and retain several marks of great antiquity. In front of an old house on the south side of the street, there is a post, with the date 1539 carved upon it. On the same side, nearer the Cross, is an old dwelling-house, with the inscription—

“God’s Providence is mine Inheritance—1652,”

cut upon a beam in front, in legible characters. At the time when the plague was devastating the city, this was almost the only house which was exempt from its destructive havoc. Gratefully sensible of this singular blessing, the pious occupier placed this inscription on the front of his house, as a commemorative memorial of Divine Providence. Lower down, on the same side, is a singularly decorated old house, having the whole front divided into square compartments, filled with carved work of various descriptions, principally heraldry and scripture history. Adam and Eve;—Cain killing Abel;—Abraham offering up Isaac;—Susannah and the Elders—and a Martyrdom, are the principal subjects. There are three other compartments, two of them consisting of armorial bearings, including the Earldoms of Chester and Derby, crested with a bishop’s mitre; the third bears an inscription, illegible from the street, and the date 1613. This house was built by Dr. George Lloyd, of the family of Lloyd of Kinmell, in North Wales, Bishop of Chester from 1604 to 1615.

God’s Providence House

Lower down, on the same side of the street, below Nicholas-street, is a curious and spacious old palace, once the mansion of the Derby family, which is well deserving of the visitor’s notice. It is approached through a narrow passage. The front of the house presents some interesting specimens of curiously ornamental carved work. On this spot once stood a Monastery of the order of Black Friars.

The street on the opposite side leads to the new Linen Hall, where the cheese fairs are periodically held. It was built by the Irish merchants in 1778. At that time the imports of linen were very considerable, and a large business was done.

At the corner of this street stands her Majesty’s Custom House. Adjoining is Trinity Church, which contains the mortal remains of Parnell the poet, and Matthew Henry, immortalized in his far-famed commentary. Trinity-street contains nothing worthy of special notice: it leads, however, to a memorable spot, of surpassing interest to all who love to trace the “records of a good man’s life.” Higher up is Crook-street, where stands the chapel built for Matthew Henry. These chapel walls once echoed the voice of that eloquent man, who assiduously asserted the pure principles of the Gospel. Associated, therefore, as the place is with the memory of a great mind, whose works have taken an honourable position in the religious literature of the country, it cannot but be an attraction to all who love to treasure the incidents which mark the biography of an eminent and a worthy man. Matthew Henry’s chapel is now occupied by the Unitarians.

Returning to the Cross, we proceed to

Northgate Street,

which forms the northern division of the city, and is 440 yards long. On the east side, adjoining St. Peter’s Church, are the Commercial-buildings, occupied as a subscription News-room, and the Library of the ArchÆological Society. The rows in Northgate-street are chiefly formed of wood; that on the west is the only one in general use, extending from the Cross to the Fish Market. The regular market for “Fish and vegetables,” says a History of Chester, 1791, “is in the square opposite the Exchange, which, in general, are plentiful and reasonable. In that useful article, salmon, no market in the kingdom did, some few years ago, excel it; indeed, such was the profusion of this valuable fish, that masters were often restricted, by a clause of indenture, from giving it more than twice a week to their apprentices! Though the bounty of Providence, in this particular, is yet unabated, such restriction is no longer necessary—some artificial cause or other very kindly rendering this fish, at the present day, a delicacy even to the masters themselves.”

The Exchange

is situated in the Market-place, on the west side of Northgate-street. It was commenced in 1695, and completed in 1698, at an expense of £1,000, towards which Roger Whitley, then Mayor, contributed largely. It is a good brick building, ornamented with stone-work, supported by stone pillars on the ground floor, through which is a thoroughfare from south to north. In a niche on the south front is a statue of Queen Anne in her coronation robes. On the right of this statue is a tablet, having the arms of the Earldom of Chester on a circular shield in the centre, and above these the coats of the Principality of Wales and Duchy of Cornwall, having each their respective coronets over them. The blazon of this tablet is believed to have been furnished by the last Randle Holmes, Deputy Norroy King at Arms, who died in 1707. On the left of the statue is another tablet, containing the Royal arms of England as borne by Queen Anne. The centre of the building is occupied by the Common Hall, wherein are held the city sessions and the elections for members of parliament for the borough. The north end of the Common Hall is fitted up as a court of justice, having a bench, bar, witness and jury boxes. On each side of the bench are ornaments, composed of lictors’ fasces and spears, used to support the sword and mace.

Bishop Lord’s House Watergate St. Chester A.D. 1615

Adjoining and communicating with the Common Hall on the north is the Council-room, commonly called the Pentice, where the mayor and magistrates sit as a court of Petty Sessions. Over the mayor’s seat in this room is a splendid full length portrait of George the Third in his coronation robes,—the figure by Gainsborough, the drapery by Reynolds,—presented to the city by the late Marquis of Westminster, in 1808. On the south side of the Exchange-buildings is the City Assembly-room, where the meetings of the Town Council are held. The Town Hall, the Pentice Court, and the Assembly-room, are all decorated with fine portraits of benefactors to the city, and of eminent men who have been officially engaged in its highest legal appointments, or in the administration of its municipal affairs. Among these worthies may be seen the donors of local charities, and other celebrities; as Recorders Comberbach, Leycester, Levinge, Townsend, and Sir W. Williams; Sir Henry Bunbury, M.P. for Chester in eight successive parliaments during the reigns of Queen Anne and George the First; Sir John Grey Egerton, M.P. for the city from 1807 to 1818; Thomas Cholmondeley, Esq., Mayor in 1761; Robert, Earl Grosvenor, in his parliamentary robes, painted by Jackson; Richard, Earl Grosvenor, and Thomas Grosvenor, Esq., M.P., in their robes of the civic mayoralty, painted by West; W. Cross, Esq., first Mayor after the passing of the Municipal Reform Act; and W. Wardell, Esq., Mayor in 1841. At the north end of the Exchange is the Market, appropriated for the sale of butter; and a few yards apart is another building of equal breadth, but longer, for butchers’ meat, both of which are neatly fitted up and well adapted for their respective purposes. We recommend the tourist now to continue his walk up the street, for the purpose of visiting the Training College, which, we doubt not, our former description has made him curious to see. Supposing this to have been done, we now return on the east side, passing through the Northgate about 100 yards, where we come to a narrow avenue on the left, under an old archway, the remains of one of the gates of the monastery of St. Werburgh. A little further down, opposite the Market-hall, stands a noble arch called

The Abbey Gate,

which is a Gothic pointed arch, with a postern at the side, both of which are included in a larger obtuse one, apparently of the same order. The interior of the gateway is vaulted with stone, with ribs, and carved keystones at the intersections; and the rooms over were originally approached by a spiral staircase. On the south side was the porter’s lodge, and on the other St. Thomas’s-court. Before this gate were anciently raised the booths for the merchants frequenting the Abbot’s fair; these booths were covered with reeds, which the monks were empowered to gather from Stanlaw Marsh; and here also the performers in the Chester Mysteries commenced the exhibition of their pageants. This was formerly the grand entrance into the monastery, which appears to have occupied a very extensive range. On passing through the arched gateway we enter into the Abbey-square. On the right hand is a wall, enclosing the episcopal palace, which was rebuilt by Bishop Keene, out of his private resources, at an expense of £2,200, soon after his promotion to the see in 1752. In former days the residence of the Abbots of St. Werburgh stood on this site. The spacious edifice at the end of the palace wall is the Registry Office, of which Dickens has given an interesting sketch in his ‘Household Words,’ in one of his able papers, entitled, ‘The Doom of English Wills.’ The entire arrangements and management of the office are described in terms of unqualified commendation, highly complimentary to the talented registrar, who is described as “a gentleman who fulfils the duties of his office in person with assiduity.” In the centre of the square is a shrubbery, enclosed with an iron palisading, having in the centre an elliptic column, which was once a pillar under the Exchange; but on removing it to build a shop there, the Corporation presented it to the Dean and Chapter, who appropriated it to its present use. In the north-east angle of the square is the Deanery, built on the site where once stood an old Gothic structure, called St. Thomas’s Chapel. Returning into Northgate-street, the next narrow avenue on the left gives us a fine view of the west transept of the Cathedral, with its beautiful window, enriched with elegant tracery. A few paces below we arrive at

The Music Hall, formerly The Theatre Royal.

The citizens of Chester appear to have been early distinguished for a love of theatricals. From a MS. entitled, “Certayne collections of aunchiante times concerninge the aunchiante and famous Citty of Chester,” by Archdeacon Rogers, we learn that in the beginning of the fourteenth century, Randal Higden, a monk of Chester, “translated the Bible into several partes and plays, so as the common people might learne the same by theyre playinge.” These spectacles, then called the Whitsun Plays, were first performed in 1328, during the mayoralty of Sir John Arneway, at the expense of the city companies; and being “profitable for them, for all both far and near came to see them,” they were repeated annually on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in Whitsun week, for nearly 250 years, until 1574, when they were suppressed by authority. The theatre for these performances was of the original Thespian cast, a four-wheeled scaffold or waggon, whereof the body served for a tyring room, and the roof for the stage, whereon the members of the different city companies did “each man play his part.” The first place of performance was at the Abbey Gate, that “the monks and churche might have the first sighte, and then the stage was drawne to the High Crosse before the Mayor and Aldermen, and soe from streete to streete; and when one pageant was ended another came in the place thereof, till all that were appoynted for the daye were ended.” Each company had its own peculiar parts allotted to its members to perform in the Whitsun Plays, of which a list is given in the above quoted MS.

Old Palace House

In addition to the Whitsun Plays, the citizens were anciently entertained with processional pageants by the different companies, which latter appear to have survived the suppression of the former for many years. They were suppressed for some time by the party in power during the Commonwealth, but revived with great splendour at the Restoration.

The pageants were abolished by order of the Corporation in 1678.

“No circumstance,” says the old History from which we have already quoted, “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 playhouse devoted to amusement.”

The present writer has to note another change: the “Playhouse” has become a Music Hall, handsome and commodious. A few years since a company was formed for the purpose of erecting a spacious Hall, available for musical and literary recreations, public meetings, and social celebrations. The Hall was built by Mr. J. D. Williams, from designs by Mr. James Harrison; and a remarkably fine organ, by Jackson, of Liverpool, has also been erected. Seats are fitted up for an audience of 1,400 persons, and the orchestra is capable of accommodating 300 performers. The cost of the building, with the organ and fittings, was £5,000. The Hall was opened, on November 26th, 1855, with a grand Miscellaneous Concert, at which Madame Clara Novello was the principal vocalist, and was crowded by a brilliant gathering of the beauty and fashion of the city and neighbourhood. Since that time it has frequently been used for the performance of oratorios and concerts, for lectures, public meetings, and other purposes, except theatrical entertainments, which are prohibited by the terms of the lease under which the site is held from the ecclesiastical commissioners, in whom the fee simple of the property is vested.

Returning to the Cross, whence we set out, we now direct our attention to

Bridge Street,

which is an open and spacious street, in length from the Cross to the Bridge about 554 yards. This street is characterized by many striking features of deep interest to the antiquarian, and indeed to all who love to visit the localities which are associated with any remarkable events of our national and ecclesiastical history. Although the buildings now present a much more modern aspect than they did some years ago, there are still remaining many conspicuous proofs of the antiquity of the city, and many curious remains which give it peculiar attractions.

A little way down the street, on the left hand, is a house now occupied by Mr. W. Brittain, woollen draper, which is rendered remarkable from a peculiar, and, as it resulted, fortunate incident, which occurred there in 1558. In that year Dr. Cole, Dean of St. Paul’s, came to Chester on his way to Ireland, entrusted with a commission from Queen Mary, for prosecuting the Protestants in that part of the kingdom. The commissioner stopped one night in this house on his way, then a noted inn, called the Blue Posts, where he was visited by the Mayor, to whom, in the course of conversation, he communicated his errand, taking out a leather box out of his cloak bag, and saying, in a tone of exultation, “Here is what will lash the heretics of Ireland!” This announcement was overheard by the landlady of the house, who had a brother in Dublin; and whilst the commissioner was complimenting his worship down stairs, the good woman, prompted by a tender regard for the safety of her brother, opened the box, and taking out the commission, placed in its stead a pack of cards, with the knave of clubs uppermost. The unsuspecting Doctor packed up the box again, and with its far different contents proceeded on his journey. On his arrival at the Castle of Dublin, the precious box was presented to the Lord Deputy and Privy Council, who, on opening it, found, in the place of the commission, the pack of cards, prefaced with the significant knave of clubs. The surprise of the assembly was of course very great, and the Doctor’s perhaps the greatest of all; he was not lack in his protestations that the commission he had received, and was entirely ignorant how it had disappeared. “Let us have another commission,” said the Deputy; and forthwith the amazed and chagrined commissioner returned to Court for the purpose; but before he could return to Ireland, Queen Mary died. Elizabeth, her successor, rewarded the woman, whose name was Elizabeth Edwards, with a pension of £40 a year during her life.

A little lower down, on the same side, are the remains of a Roman Bath and Hypocaust, which we have described under the head of “Roman Antiquities.” This curious relic, we take for granted, the visitor will “go and see.”

A little further is the neat little church of St. Michael, recently erected on the site of the old church, which had become so much dilapidated, that apprehensions were excited for its safety.

Passing Pepper-street, adjoining St. Michael’s, we next meet with The Albion Hotel, a capacious building, connected with which is an Assembly-room, and behind the premises extensive pleasure-grounds and a bowling-green.

Passing on to the lower end of the street, we come to St. Olave’s Church, an edifice of very mean pretensions, but of very ancient foundation. In the copy of an old Court Roll, the advowson of St. Olave’s is mentioned among other advowsons, belonging to the Abbey of St. Werburgh. A clerk was instituted and inducted upon the presentation of the Abbey, in the time of King John. Divine service is discontinued at St. Olave’s, and the parishioners attend St. Michael’s. Continuing down the street we arrive at a handsome arch called the Bridgegate, beyond which is the old bridge, which will lead the tourist (should his curiosity incline him) to Edgar’s Cave, already described under the head of antiquities.

Returning on the west side of the street, we come to a steep lane, called St. Mary’s-hill, which leads to the Castle and to St. Mary’s Church, a most interesting edifice, worthy of the tourist’s examination.

Opposite St. Olave’s Church, before mentioned, is an old house, formerly occupied by the Gamul family, which possesses great interest from the fact of its having given protection to Charles I. during the siege of Chester by the Parliamentary forces. There is some very curious painted panel work and beautiful carving in the interior, which render it well worthy of inspection. A little higher up is an antiquated building called “The Falcon Inn,” a fine specimen of the old timber houses of Chester. Adjoining this house formerly stood the Old Lamb Row, which was one of the most remarkable objects of curiosity in the city. The materials of which the buildings were composed were the same as that of the Falcon, which is probably an older building than the Old Lamb-row was. It was constructed of massy beams of oak, heavy roofs, and the interstices of the timber in the fronts filled up with sticks and clay. The age of the row is pretty clearly determined by the inscription on a stone, discovered after the fall of the building:—

16—H—55
R. H.

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

were discovered. The public are much indebted to the care and good taste of these gentlemen, that this valuable antiquity has been so admirably preserved; and as they are most courteous in affording strangers the privilege of examining it, we doubt not that the opportunity will be gladly taken. The chapel is of an oblong form, running from east to west. Its dimensions are 42 feet in length, 15 feet 3 inches in breadth, and the height, from the surface of the floor to the intersections of the groining of the roof, 14 feet. It was partially lighted through the upper part of the west end, in which there are three small windows, divided by stone mullions, and protected by iron bars. On examining the intersection of the groins, marks were discovered on the stonework, that a couple of lamps had been used for lighting. The entrance to the east end was by a flight of steps cut out of the rock; this passage is now closed, but from what remains there is no doubt this was the case. On the south side is an Anglo-Norman-Gothic doorway, attained by three or four circular steps, and forming an outlet within its inner and outer wall, by another flight of steps, to the surface above the building. At the west end are two niches, in which the baptismal fonts are supposed to have been placed; one of these was found during the excavation, and is deposited in one of these recesses; the other was unfortunately destroyed by the workmen. The date of the erection of this interesting structure is supposed to be early in the thirteenth century. Taking into consideration the fact that not far from this spot were the monasteries of Grey Friars and White Friars, it has been conjectured by some that in this chapel they assembled for their religious celebrations. It seems to be, however, a more feasible hypothesis, that the site was once occupied by some order of religious house; that the chapel formed a part of the erection, and was used by the inmates for their religious ceremonies and worship. In the upper part of the premises there appear to be some characteristic remains of the ancient structure. Lacking any further evidence as to the character and extent of this venerable building than the place itself supplies, the question is involved in uncertainty. The crypt is a most interesting curiosity, worthy of the investigation of the antiquarian, and to his better judgment we leave the subject.

Chester Cathedral, South West View A.D. 875