CHESHIRE. 



169 



ire. was obtained in 1761 ; and the whole of it, to the extent 

 * - Y * of '29 miles, was completed in five years. It has been 

 carried across the Mersey, near Ashton, by an aqueduct 

 bridge ; and farther to the west it crosses the Boltin, 

 which running in a tract of low meadows, a mound of 

 earth was raised over this valley to a length, breadth, and 

 height truly stupendous. By these means the water is 

 Kept on a level to its egress at Runcorn, where it is pre- 

 cipitately lowered 9,5 feet by a series of locks of admir- 

 able construction. Previously to the formation of this 

 canal, the river navigation from Manchester to Liver- 

 pool was 12 shillings per ton, and land carriage 40 shil- 

 lings; but the rate of conveyance by the canal is only 

 ;ix shillings per ton. Besides the numerous barges 

 which ply here for the carriage of commercial articles, 

 boats on the model of the Dutch treckschuyts have been 

 constructed for the accommodation of passengers, which 

 afford the means of a very cheap and pleasant intercourse 

 between Liverpool and Manchester, and the intervening 

 places. The Grand Trunk c?.:ial branches off from the 

 Duke of Bridgewater's at Preston-Brook, and passing 

 Northwich and Middk-wich, leaves the county on the 

 south side at Church Lawton. At Preston on the-Hill 

 it passes through a tunnel 1241 yards long, 17 feet 4 

 inches in height, and 13 feet G inches wide. A portion 

 of the Ellesmere canal also crosses the western corner of 

 this county, entering it at Palford ; and after uniting 

 with the Dee at Chester, crosses the hundred of Wirral 

 for about 9 miles, and then joins the Mersey, thus open- 

 ing a short and easy passage between Chester and Liver- 

 pool. 



Besides the several rivers, more or less considerable, 

 which flow through the county of Cheshire, and the 

 canals formed in it, it abounds also with broad sheets of 

 water, denominated meres, lakes, and pools. The prin- 

 cipal of these are Oak mere, Rosthern-mcre, Mere-mere 

 Tatton mere, Combcr-mere, Broad-mcre, and Bag-mere, 

 Petty-pool, Rookery-pool, and Ridley-pool. Most of 

 these waters abound with fish. There occurs also with- 

 in tlie county a spring of mineral water. This is situat- 

 ed in the vicinity of Stockport, and seems to flow from a 

 coal-mine or a bed of iron-stone. Some years ago, when 

 it was first discovered, it was much frequented, as being 

 supposed to afford a remedy for weak eyes and some 

 other disorders. In consequence, however, of an ill- 

 f jiinded prejudice which has since arisen against it, that 

 it occasioned jaundice, it has now been in a great mea- 

 sure altogether abandoned, and has been not less cried 

 down and reviled than it had previously been held in esti- 

 mation. 



In the county of Cheshire there occur various exam- 

 ple* of the most sublime and splendid scenery, as well as 

 numerous brilliant prospects. * About two miles south- 

 ward of Tarporlcy, a small but pleasant town in this dis- 

 trict, rises the great insulated rock of Beeston, which is 

 composed of sandstone, is very precipitous on the one 

 side, and on the other slopes gradually downward to the 

 general level of the country. It is nearly 366 feet in 

 height, and commands a very extensive and pleasing view 

 of Chester, and of a great portion of the surrounding 

 country. On tin 1 west of this rock are the stately rums 

 of the far-famed Beeston castle, erected in 1220, by 

 Randle Blundeville, Earl of Chester, which enclosed a 

 space of from four to five acres, and was once proverbial 

 for its almost impregnable strength. The Car Tor, in 

 the vicinity of Mettram, is a very singular precipice of 

 the perpendicular height of abou.. 80 leet, and c.-vered 



over the summit and sides with oak trees. From its top Chcshirt 

 vast rocks are pendant, which seem to threaten every ^"^-Y 

 thing beneath with destruction. The face of the preci- 

 pice exhibits various strata of rock, coal, or slaty matter, 

 and free-stone, all disposed with considerable regularity, 

 while between it and the opposite and well-wooded hills 

 of Derbyshire, the Mersey, hurrying along its craggy 

 bed, contributes greatly to the grandeur of the contigu- 

 ous scenery. Weston, in the neighbourhood of the 

 same river, where it joins with the Weaver, is a retired 

 and consequently little noticed, yet really a very beauti- 

 ful village, environed with several of the most sinking 

 features of a luxuriant and highly pleasing natural com- 

 bination of images and prospects. The Dee, the other 

 great river of this county, is not less without its share of 

 similar embellishment ; and it may have been owing, not 

 less perhaps to this circumstance, than to the opinion en- 

 tertained as to the sacred and purifying nature of its 

 waters, that this river was held in so great veneration as 

 we know it to have been by our British ancestors. 



Cheshire contains a great number of considerable towns 

 and villages f. It is also agreeably diversified by the 

 occurrence here and there of a fair proportion of gentle- 

 men's seats, of every degree of antiquity, as well as con- 

 nected with every variety, as to degrees of wealth and dis- 

 position of mind in the proprietors, and consequently va- 

 rying themselves in an equal degree as to magnificence, 

 taste, and decoration?. The county may also lay claim 

 to its full share in the vestiges of an ancient consequence, 

 whether more recent or more remote, foreign or domes- 

 tic, as well as both of a more general and of a more local 

 nature. While it continued subject to the Romans, this 

 county was included by that people in the division of the 

 country which they named Flavia Ccesariensis. Kin- 

 derton, in the vicinity of Middlewich, according to the 

 investigation of Mr Whitaker, appears to have been the 

 Condole of that people ; and various other monuments 

 occur in different parts of the county, indicative of its 

 being held in possession at one penod by this race of 

 conquerors. On the final departure of that people from 

 the island, it, with the rest of the country, reverted of 

 course to the Britons, who continued to possess it till 

 about the year 607, when it was conquered by Ethel- 

 freth the Saxon king of Bernicia, who defeated the army 

 of Brochmael Yocithroe, king of Powys, near Chester, 

 On this occasion, Ethelfreth is said to have slain 1200 

 defenceless monks, whom Brochmael had called from the 

 neighbouring monastery of Bangor, and stationed on a 

 hill in the vicinity, that they might assist him with their 

 prayers. It was afterwards wrested from Beinicia by 

 the Mercians, and continued a part of their kingdom till 

 the reign of Egbert, who united it with the other Saxon 

 states under one government. Alfred divided the coun- 

 ty into seven hundreds, exclusive of Chester, which is a 

 county in itself. Canute the Dane, who obtained this 

 division of the kingdom by his famous partition treaty 

 with Edmund Ironside, invested the administration of 

 this county in the earls of Chester, three of whom en- 

 joyed that dignity prior to the conquest ; Lcofric the 

 son of Leofwin ; Algar his son ; and Edwin son of the 

 latter, in whom ended the race of the Cheshire earls of 

 Saxon blood. On the conquest, the provinces of Bri- 

 tain, which had hitherto been governed by a few great 

 men, were divided into lesser portions, and distributed as 

 rewards among the followers of theN.>rman king. Cheshire 

 was bestowed on Gherbot, a va ai.i Fleming, and after 

 him on Hugh de Aurange, better known by the narr.c 



t In thu county there are enumerated 1 city, 12 towns, and 1C70 villages. 

 VOL. TI. PART I. y 



