[10a] The Decorated period extended from A.D. 1272 to 1377, or during the reign of the three Edwards.
[10b] Simon de Albo Monasterio was Abbot from 1265–1289, while his important part of the work was in rapid progress.
[11a] The Perpendicular style ranged from the accession of Richard II. in 1377, to the death of Henry VIII. in 1546.
[11b] Simon Ripley, who was Abbot of St. Werburgh’s, 1472 to 1479, is stated to have rebuilt the Nave, Tower, and South Transept; but in Webb’s portion of the Vale Royal it is distinctly recorded that, in 1506, in the abbacy of John Birchenshaw “The old steeple of St. Werburgh was taken down,” while two years afterwards the same record states that “the foundation and the first stone of the Abbey laid, the Maior being then present.” This record has been hitherto connected with the western tower, but Rickman’s argument seems to be conclusive, unless indeed, which is quite probable, both were in progress at the same period.
[12] Not the windows which are to be found there now, which were erected at the time of the general repair of the fabric, about 1816, after Rickman’s survey.
[13a] The Dean and Chapter have for some years past been gradually restoring this beautiful structure to its original character; and the Perpendicular work here half-complained of by Rickman has now almost disappeared.
[13b] The erections here so deservedly condemned were the remains of an old cloth hall, originally built for the stranger merchants frequenting the great annual fairs at Chester. These buildings occupied great part of the space now enclosed with railing on the S.W. side of the nave and St. Oswald’s Church, and were pulled down about 20 years ago.
[14a] In the print of Chester Cathedral given in Willis’ Survey of Cathedrals, A.D. 1727, the battlements and rich crocketted pinnacles are shown as existing then. The South end of the South Transept is also shewn to have been richly decorated with niches.
[14b] Probably H. Cholmondeley, who was Dean of Chester, from 1806 to 1815.