JOTTINGS ABOUT OLD DERBY. 145 
time (1781), of an elderly lady who went by the name of 
“Madam” or ‘‘Dame” Chambers, and who, I believe, was 
sister to the then Marchioness of Exeter, behind which were 
grounds and an orchard reaching to S. Peter’s Street, now 
built over and intersected by Albion Street, Albion Place, 
Bloom Street, and Eagle Street. 
The old Town Gaol was built across the brook in the 
Corn Market, nearly on a line from the Royal Hotel to 
Albert Street. The coach road and also two foot-bridges 
passing underneath it; one bridge leading to the gaol, called 
the Gaol Bridge, the other, forming the highway, called S. 
Peter’s Bridge. The coach road was through the bed of the 
brook. All this was altered in 1787, when it was removed, 
first to the west side of the Corn Market, and then into Friar 
Gate. S. Peter's Bridge, which somewhat resembled the 
present S. Mary’s Bridge, was erected during the second 
mayoralty of John Hope, and I distinctly remember a large 
stone on which were carved the Arms of the Borough, the 
neme of the then mayor, and the date of erection. Previous 
to the demolition of the old foot-bridge, I have heard the 
Jate Dr. Forrester (who lived at Abbot’s Hill) say, that the 
water was so pure that his cows were driven to water there. 
I don’t suppose if it was still open they would be driven 
there for that purpose now. 
In 1786 Sadler Gate Bridge was built, during the mayor- 
alty of Henry Flint, and there was a similar inscription on 
a stone there to the one on S. Peters Bridge; and previous 
to its erection, carriages, etc., were driven through the brook, 
and passengers crossed by a foot-bridge. 
In 1789, during the mayoralty of Thomas Mather, S. 
Mary’s Bridge was begun to be rebuilt. The Chapel of S. 
Mary stood, and stands now, on an arch of the former 
bridge, and I well remember the old piers which were removed 
a few years ago by the Corporation, and over which, in my 
boating days, I had well nigh several times made shipwreck, 
and got a good ducking. 
