Sir Charles Booth, in 1659, with the aid of the citizens, overcame the
garrison of Charles II., then an exile, but was afterwards defeated by
Lambert, Cromwell's general.
The presence of the Duke of Monmouth, in 1683, stirred the populace to a
tumult. Amongst other excesses the mob spent its fury in forcing the
cathedral doors, breaking the painted glass, destroying the font, and
other regrettable damage to this building. In 1688 the city was taken by
the Roman Catholic lords, Molyneux and Ashton, for James II., who, after
all, rendered further efforts useless by his abdication. Under William
III. Chester was included in the six cities for the residence of an
assay master, and was permitted to issue silver coinage. The last
important military event that took place in this city was in the
Rebellion of 1745, when it was fortified against the Pretender.
In architecture the great characteristic is the quaint way the houses
have been built. The streets have been cut out of the rock below the
general surface of the land. The houses appear to have been built into
the rock, or rather to have been piled up against it. The shops are
level with the streets, and over them runs a balustraded gallery. Steps
at certain intervals lead the way down into the streets. These
galleries are called by the inhabitants "The Rows." These Rows are
houses with shops. Overhanging the shops, like the eaves of a house, are
the upper stories, to which additional flights of steps give access.
Two explanations are given for this unusual construction of houses: one,
that the Rows, or promenades, are the remnants of the ancient vestibules
of the Roman houses; the other that they were probably originated to
afford ready defence against the sudden raids of the Welsh. The latter
appears the more likely. The Rows, from their position to the streets,
would afford the besieged greater facilities of shelter and attack.
In Bridge Street and Eastgate Street the Rows are made pleasant
promenades. Though many of the houses have been rebuilt, they still
retain the old character. In addition to these interesting buildings
there was the castle built by the Conqueror, of which there remains only
a large square tower, called "Julius Agricola's Tower." The front has
been entirely renewed. This tower served probably as a place of
confinement of the Earl of Derby. Here were imprisoned Richard II. and
Margaret, Countess of Richmond. Just shortly before the Revolution James
II. heard Mass in the second chamber.
Though the Cathedral has been left to the last, its history is no less
interesting than the other features of Chester. The Cathedral was
originally the church attached to the convent of St. Werburgh, under
which name its ecclesiastical site is mentioned in "Doomsday Book." It
was first dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, but Ethelfrida afterwards
transferred their patronage to that of the Saxon saint, Walmgha, the
daughter of Wulphen, King of Mercia. Besides this princess the great
benefactors were Leofric, Earl of Mercia, and Hugh Lupus, who
substituted Benedictine monks for secular canons.
On the dissolution of the abbey, in lieu of the abbot and monks, a dean,
prebendaries, and minor canons were appointed, the last abbot being made
dean. Here it is as well to remember that a church was called an abbey,
whatever its former denomination might have been, if an abbot became its
head. In much the same way the name "minster" is derived from a
monastery, and cathedral is due to the fact that the bishop had his
cathedra, or throne, placed in the sacred building for his own use. At
the dissolution the Cathedral of Chester was dedicated to "Christ and
the Blessed Virgin." Though there are some interesting remains of the
abbey, the present building was built in the reigns of Henry VII. and
Henry VIII. The diocese of Chester dates at the period of the kingdom of
Mercia. It was afterwards incorporated with that of Lichfield, but in
1075, Peter, Bishop of Lichfield restored the See to Chester. His
successor, however, removed it for the second time to Lichfield. Henry
VIII., in 1541, created six new sees, in which he included Chester. With
a portion of the possessions of the Abbey of St. Werburgh, which was
dissolved, he endowed the new see. The first bishop after the
dissolution was John Bird. In 1752 the palace of the bishop was rebuilt
by Bishop Keene.
The cathedral site is on the eastern side of Northgate Street. Excepting
the western end, it presents the appearance of a heavy, irregular pile,
when viewed externally. The interior is very impressive, and contains
portions in the Norman, and in the Early and Decorated styles of English
architecture. It possesses a clerestory in the Later style. Some chapels
in the Early English style, are to the east of the north transept. The
south transept, separated from the Cathedral by a wooden screen, forms
the parish church of St. Oswald. The style of the Bishop's throne,
sometimes known as St. Werburgh's Shrine, belongs to the Early period of
the fourteenth century. In the eastern walk of the cloister stands
the Chapter House, of Early English style, built by Earl Randulph the
First. It served as the burial-place of the earls of the original Norman
line, except Richard, who perished by shipwreck.
[Illustration: CHESTER