Proceeding eastward, a most pleasing view of the Dee, of considerable extent, is presented, with delightful cottage and villa residences on the Boughton bank, and in a pleasant suburb called “Queen’s Park,” the elegant suspension bridge to which forms a novel feature in the landscape. On the left of the river is a cool and shady walk, called The Groves, where there are excellent pleasure boats for the accommodation of those who enjoy a sail or a pull up the river. We have here a very good view of St. John’s Church on the right, a venerable pile, containing some curious and interesting specimens of Norman architecture.
Within about fifty yards of the Recorder’s steps, the wall forms an angle to the northward. Here we ascend six flights of steps, consisting of three steps each, called the Wishing Steps, erected in 1785, at the top of which stood an ancient Watch Tower, which had formerly an apartment with a stone seat on one side, and windows commanding a view of the river and adjacent country. This room was removed in 1826.
We next arrive at
The Newgate,
a plain arched gateway, forming a communication betwixt Newgate-street and Pepper-street within the Walls, and St. John’s-street, Dee-lane, &c., without. On the spot now occupied by this gate, formerly stood a postern, called Wolf’s Gate, or Pepper Gate. Of this postern, Fuller says, that in the sixteenth century “the Mayor of the city had his daughter, as she was playing at ball with other maidens in Pepper-street, stolen away by a young man through the same gate, whereupon he caused it to be shut up,” which gave rise to the saying, “When the daughter is stolen, shut Pepper Gate.” The postern was removed and the Newgate erected in 1608. From a Journal of the Siege of Chester, in King’s ‘Vale Royal,’ it appears that on the 29th September, 1645, “the besiegers made a breach in the walls near to the Newgate, by the battery of 150 cannon shot, and at midnight made a sharp assault upon the breach. They likewise attempted to mount the walls with scaling ladders, but some officers and several soldiers were hauled in over the walls; some of the ladders, too, were dragged over, and many of the assailants thrown down and killed, and the rest forced to give over the attack.”
A short way further to the eastward, after passing the scanty remains of an old tower abutting from the Walls, called Thimbleby’s Tower, we arrive at a flight of steps leading to the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in St. John’s-street, the access to which from this quarter was made under the sanction of the Corporation. This handsome and commodious place of worship was erected in 1811. Near to the chapel is a large and commodious School-house, recently erected, capable of containing from 200 to 300 children, which is occupied during the week as a day school, and is in a prosperous condition.
A few paces now brings us to
The Eastgate,
consisting of a wide and beautiful centre arch for the passage of carriages, and two posterns for the safety and convenience of foot passengers. It was built at the sole expense of the late Marquis of Westminster, whose arms, and those of the city, occupy the centre of the principal arch. On the 8th August, 1768, the south-west corner stone of the Eastgate was laid by John Page, Esq., Provincial Grand Master, attended by four regular lodges of Freemasons; and the north-west corner-stone by the Mayor, Sheriffs, and Aldermen of Chester. On the east side, under the Grosvenor armorial bearings, is the following inscription:—
ERECTED AT THE EXPENSE OF
RICHARD LORD GROSVENOR,
MDCCLXIX.