The Editors desire to express their grateful thanks to those who
have co-operated with them, and have contributed papers for this
volume. Their only regret is that the limits of space prevented them
from inviting the assistance of others, and thus of including other
subjects, which, it may be, some readers would expect to find here.
But wide as the range is, it is manifestly impossible in a volume
of this size to cover the whole ground. It does not profess to be a
complete history, or to give _all_ those memories of the past which
ought to be of interest to those of the present day. Perhaps no county
is richer in these treasures than the county of Chester, and every
corner of it has its own special ones. The city of Chester gives its
title to the heir to the Crown, as the Prince of Wales is always Earl
of Chester; and that fact in itself gives a dignity and importance
to both city and county. Then, as will be pointed out in some of the
papers which follow, as a County Palatine, Cheshire had privileges
and rights of a peculiar character, and all this has made the task of
selection of subjects to be treated of more difficult, and the reader
will doubtless sympathise with the Editors, even though he may not
altogether approve of the result of their labours, and may lament
certain omissions.
Some memorials of old Cheshire will be presented to the mind and eyes
of many in the Historic Pageant which is to take place in July, and
will give further proof of the wealth of material from which selection
had to be made. We may hope that both this volume and the Pageant will
have an educative effect, in that they will lead residents in the
county, and the rising generation in particular, to take a growing and
intelligent interest in its history. This may be done either in the
small and confined space of the parish in which they live, or in the
wider sphere of the neighbourhood, or of the county as a whole. And it
can be done by individual search and inquiry, and by association with
the Societies which foster and promote such studies as conduce to the
creation of a greater interest in the story of the past, and in the
preservation of the objects which will keep it alive.
We have to thank the Chester and North Wales Archæological and
Historic Society for the loan of some illustrations, and are only
sorry that more could not be inserted. We have photographs from Dr.
Elliott, Mr. F. Simpson, Mr. G. W. Haswell, and others, some admirable
drawings by Mr. C. H. Minshull, whilst His Honour Sir Horatio Lloyd
has permitted us to reproduce a sketch of his of the old High Cross at
Chester.
We were fortunate to secure the services of so busy a man as Professor
J. C. Bridge, M.A., F.S.A., for two of the papers, both of which
will be found most instructive, dealing as they do with distinctive
peculiarities of the county, and giving evidence of full and wide
knowledge of the subjects treated of. To one and all, named and
unnamed, we tender our cordial thanks, and trust that the present
volume may be regarded as a not unworthy successor of those in the
same series which have preceded it.
Edward Barber.
P. H. Ditchfield.