178 



CHESTER. 







cvpence of the repairs it defrayed by certain impost* 

 "~" n.ui age-duties, collected at the cusiom-houte on 



all merchaudiae brought fivm beyond ira into the port 

 of Chester. The whole annual amount of these is about 

 ^200, great part of which ariaes from the duty on Irish 

 linens, though the turn levied is only 2d. fur 100 yard*. 

 These wallj were formerly defended by several strong 

 lowers, but now only one remains, viz. that called the 

 Phcenix tower, from which Charles I. viewed the defeat 

 of his army at Rowston Moor. 



The pates were anciently under the protection of the 

 Earls of Shrewsbury, Oxford, and Derby, and the prin- 

 cipal magistrates of the city. The guard was maintain- 

 : by tolls exacted from strangers at each entrance. 

 These gates are all elegant modern buildings. The 

 Dee bridge is an ancient structure, with srvrn arches of 

 dissimilar workmanship, no part of which, however, is 

 probably older than the conquest. The city mills stand 

 at the north end of the bridge, and arc supplied with 

 water from a current formed by a great dam or cause- 

 way, which crosses the river obliquely, and causes a fall 

 of nine feet. These mills with the causeway were found- 

 ed by Earl Lupus, and the revenues anciently derived 

 from them appear to have been very considerable, as 

 every inhabitant of the city, with the exception of the 

 tenants of the Abbey, was restricted from grinding his 

 corn at any other place. The present extensive premi- 

 scs, which are regarded as extremely complete in their 

 construction, were -erected a few years ago, the old mills 

 having been burnt down. The city is chiefly supplied 

 with water from the adjoining works, which raise it from 

 the river into a reservoir, whence it flows through pipes 

 into the houses. 



The exchange is a handsome pile, supported partly by 

 columns, 'and is 126 feet long. It contains, in the south 

 end, a mayor's banqueting-room, which is occasionally 

 used as an assembly room for dancing. In the centre 

 is a spacious hall, in which the courts of sessions, of 

 crownmote, portmote, and annual elections, arc held. 

 The north end is occupied by the justices' room, the 

 liheriff's court, the town clerk's office, and other public 

 offices of the city. It was erected in 1698. Near to 

 this building is the engine house, a neat fabric with pi- 

 lasters, and a rich Corinthian cornice. The fire engines 

 are preserved in order at the expence of the commu- 

 nity. In the square opposite the exchange, the mar- 

 ket for fish and vegetables is kept. Salmon was for- 

 ntrly sgld licre in such profusion, that masters were fre- 

 quently restricted, by a clause in the indentures, from 

 pving it to their apprentices more than twice a week. 

 At a small distance from the exchange arc two flesh 

 shambles, which occupy a considerable portion of the 

 street. Here the country butchers are permitted to sell 

 AMI on market days. On the top of one of the sham- 

 bles is a capacious cistern or reservoir, which is supplied 

 ith water from the works at the bridge, for the use of 

 the inhabitants of the higher parts of the city. 



The infirmary is a handsome structure, pleasantly situ- 



m an airy spot on the west side of the city. East- 



.vard of it is the entrance into the Abbey-court, over the 



ay of which is the register-office for wills. The 

 Abbey-court is a pleasant square, and the houses are re- 

 gular and handsome. Here also is the bishop's palace 



d in 1753. The Gothic structure of St Thomas's 



1, the residence of the late Dean Swift, has been 

 :i down, and an elegant mansion erected on the site 



which it formerly occupied.' Of the houses of this city 

 in general, it is to be obtcrved, that many arc construct- 

 ed of timber. 



The government of the city of Chester assumed the Cfcwttr. 

 form of a regular corporation as early as the reign of ^^""i""""' 

 Henry III. The lait charter in its favour was granted 

 in Hi7(i by Charles II. According to this, the govern- 

 ment of the city is vested in a corporation, consisting ot 

 a mayor, recorder, 2 sheriff*, 2-1 aldermen, and 40 com- 

 mon councilmen. Of the latter two are leave looker*, 

 whose office it is to inform of all persons exercising trades 

 within the city without being freemen. The two senior 

 officers are murcngers, or receivers of the murage duties 

 for repairing the walls ; and two are treasurers, who are 

 usually next in succession to the mayor. There arc like- 

 wise a sword and a mace-bearer, and various other inferior 

 officers. The exclusive power of election into their own 

 body is assumed by the corporation, though the right ot 

 such election was, by the charter of Henry VII., vested 

 in the freemen, citizens who by their own unwise con- 

 duct have forfeited the privilege. This city has often, 

 been honoured with royal visits, and is remarkable for its 

 perseverance in the cause of royalty when besieged by the 

 parliament army in 1645, at which period the inhabi- 

 tants of the garrison were exposed in the severest man- 

 ner to all the calamities of the most distressing famine. 



Chester is distinguished as a sort of provincial metro- 

 polis, many of the gentry of the neighbouring counties 

 making it a place of occasional residence. Its poorer 

 classes of inhabitants are chiefly occupied in the trades 

 common to a great town, inhabited by opulent families. 

 The only manufacture of consequence is that of gloves, 

 which are made in vast numbers, principally by women. 

 Here are also a small manufactory of tobacco pipes, 

 iron foundries, snuff mills, and large establishments for 

 ship-building, which furnish additional employment. 

 The latter business is carried on to great advantage, 

 many vessels from 100 to 500 tons being built yearly. 

 These, in point of strength and beauty, are reckoned as 

 complete and durable as those built in any other port 

 in the kingdom : the materials are entirely of British 

 oak. Two manufactories for shot, and one for white 

 and red lead, arc likewise established here. The shot is 

 exported to America in large quantities. 



The maritime business of Chester chiefly consists of 

 the Irish and coasting trades, with a small portion of 

 trade to foreign parts. The quantities of linen cloth 

 imported from Ireland are very great ; and for the better 

 accommodation of the merchants, a new hall was erected 

 in the year 1778 : this is a handsome square brickbuilding, 

 inclosing a spacious area, and containing 111 shop*. 

 Besides linen, there are various other articles both of 

 import and of export ; for an enumeration of which, see 

 the article CHESHIRE. From the large cheese ware- 

 house on the river, vessels are laden with cargoes of 

 this article for London. The limits of the port extend 

 on the Cheshire side of the Dee as far as the end of 

 Wirral, and on the Flintshire side to the mouth of the 

 river Clwyd ; yet notwithstanding this, and for all the 

 variety at the same time in the commercial objects here 

 attended to, the number of ships belonging to the port 

 is but small. 



The port of Chester was much improved during the 

 last century. The great breadth of the estuary of the 

 Dee, and the comparative smallness of the body of wa- 

 ter flowing through it, rendered it liable to be choked 

 up by the sand brought in with the tide ; and this gradu- 

 ally took place to such a degree, that in the year )<>71 

 vessels of 20 tons could scarcely reach the town, while 

 ships of burthen were obliged to lie 10 miles farthet 

 down below Neston. In that year, accordingly, a plan 

 was devised for the purpose of making a new channeljfor 



