Northgate Street,
which forms the northern division of the city, and is 440 yards long. On the east side, adjoining St. Peter’s Church, are the Commercial-buildings, occupied as a subscription News-room, and the Library of the Archæological Society. The rows in Northgate-street are chiefly formed of wood; that on the west is the only one in general use, extending from the Cross to the Fish Market. The regular market for “Fish and vegetables,” says a History of Chester, 1791, “is in the square opposite the Exchange, which, in general, are plentiful and reasonable. In that useful article, salmon, no market in the kingdom did, some few years ago, excel it; indeed, such was the profusion of this valuable fish, that masters were often restricted, by a clause of indenture, from giving it more than twice a week to their apprentices! Though the bounty of Providence, in this particular, is yet unabated, such restriction is no longer necessary—some artificial cause or other very kindly rendering this fish, at the present day, a delicacy even to the masters themselves.”