Chester, from Curzon Park | to face page [1] |
Edgar’s Cave | |
Stone Altars | |
City Walls | |
King Charles’s Tower | |
Water Tower, &c. | |
Chester Cemetery | |
Watergate Street Row | |
Eastgate Street | |
God’s Providence House | |
Bishop Lloyd’s House | |
Old Palace House | |
Chester Cathedral | |
Cloisters ditto | |
St. John’s Church | |
Chancel Ruins of ditto | |
Independent Chapel | |
With a Novel Plan, containing Eight Views ofEaton Hall:— | |
West Front | East Front |
Together with Twenty-One otherIllustrations:— | |
Chester from the Dee | Northgate Street |
and the BridgeGate. | |
CHAPTER I.
THE ANCIENT HISTORY OF CHESTER.
Three are but few places, if indeed there are any, which can present such varied attractions to the antiquary as this remarkable and ancient city. It is rich in memorable incidents and associations. It has a history chronicled not only in books, but in its walls, towers, rows, and venerable remains.
The origin of Chester is of very remote date. No definite conclusion has been reached respecting the exact time of its foundation. Various hypotheses have been started, some of them grotesque and ridiculous enough, but its origin is lost in those mists of antiquity where history fades into fable.
It is quite clear, as an authenticated matter of fact, that Chester was in very early possession of the Romans. It was the headquarters of the 20th Legion, which, we find, came into Britain before the year 61; for it had a share in the defeat of Boadicea by Suetonius. After that important victory this mighty and intrepid people marched onward towards North Wales, and established their authority in Cheshire.
Scattered through the city, have been discovered many vestiges of their power, which enable us to trace their history with considerable distinctness. Wherever they planted their settlements, they left permanent records of their greatness and skill. Many of these memorials have been discovered, in various parts of the old city; and through the intelligent and zealous investigations of the Chester Archæological Society, these antiquities are now made tributary to the instruction of the inhabitants respecting the history of their own locality.
Not only to the antiquarian, however, is Chester interesting; there is scarcely any order of mind or taste but may here find its gratification. Its noble arched bridge, venerable cathedral and churches, unique rows, and ancient walls encompassing the city, with a considerable number and variety of relics, all combine to make Chester an attractive place of resort. It is the metropolis of the county palatine of that name, and is pleasantly situated above the river Dee, on a rising ground. Its names have been various. Its Roman name was Deva, undoubtedly, because of its being situated on the river Dee. Then Cestriæ, from Castrum, “camp;” and Castrum Legionis, “the Camp of the Legion.” Its British names were Caer Lleon, “the Camp of the Legion;” and Caer Lleon Vawr, or Ddyfrdwy, “the Camp of the Great Legion on the Dee.”
During the brilliant lieutenancy of Julius Agricola, A.D. 85, it became a Roman colony; and the place was called from them and from its situation, Colonia Devana. This is clearly demonstrated by a coin of Septimus Geta, son of Severus, which has this inscription:—
Col. Devana. Leg. xx. Victrix.
For two or three centuries after this date, Chester appears to have continued undisturbed in the power of the Romans; during which period “it was a centre of operations while conquest was being produced; a centre of civilization and commercial intercourse when the dominion of the empire was established. The actual form of the city, its division by streets into four quarters, exhibits the arrangement which the Romans established in their camp, and which they naturally transferred to the cities which took the place of their military stations. Traces of the work of that wonderful people still remain on our walls, and on the rocky brows which surround them; and excite the attention, and reward the diligence of the antiquarian. Those pigs of lead, the produce of Roman industry, which are first mentioned, in ‘Camden’s Britannia,’ as being found in the neighbourhood of Chester, and two of which have recently been discovered, are memorials of the early period at which the mineral wealth of this district was known, and of the commerce to which it gave rise.” It is a fact, clearly established by history, that to the Romans we are greatly indebted for the introduction of a much higher order of civilization than that which they found existing when they took possession of the country. They were the pioneers of social and religious progress. Previous to the Roman invasion, the inhabitants were unacquainted with the laws and arts of civilized life;—painted their bodies,—despised the institution of marriage,—clothed themselves in skins,—knew very little of agriculture,—were furious in disposition, and cruel in their religious superstitions. We find that the practice of human sacrifices was very general amongst them, and in every respect their social and moral condition rude and barbarous in the extreme. So wedded were they to their idolatrous worship and cruel rites, that the Romans, after their conquest, found it necessary to abolish their religion by penal statutes; an exercise of power which was not usual with these tolerating conquerors. About the year 50, the Emperor Claudius Cæsar subdued the greater part of Britain, and received the submission of several of the British states who inhabited the south-east part of the island. The other Britons, under the command of Caractacus, still maintained an obstinate resistance, and the Romans made little progress against them until Ostorius Scapula was sent over, in the year 50, to command their armies. This renowned general found the country in a state of great excitement and dissatisfaction, but speedily advanced the Roman conquests over the Britons—defeated Caractacus in a great battle—took him prisoner, and sent him to Rome—where his magnanimous behaviour procured him better treatment than those conquerors usually bestowed on native princes. He pardoned Caractacus and his family, and commanded that their chains should immediately be taken off.