informs us that, in the year 1180, "it was brought out to stop the raging of a fire in the city, which for a long time had been invincible by every other means; but the approach of the holy remains instantly proved their sanctity by putting an end to its furious desolation.”*

The altar-piece, which is of very fine tapestry, is executed after one of the cartoons of Raphael, and represents the History of Elymas the Sorcerer. Wright, in his travels through France and Italy, expresses his opinion, that this is much superior to any of the tapestry which he saw in the Vatican.

Behind the altar is the chapel of St. Mary, where prayers are read every morning at six o'clock. The south transept forms the parish church of St. Oswald.

On the south side of the altar there is an ancient tomb, which is shown to strangers as that of Henry IV. Emperor of Germany. Camden says, that in order to escape from the troubles which his own unguarded conduct had brought upon his empire, this prince fled in disguise to England, and resided at Chester, unknown as to his real character for nearly ten years; but, death approaching, he discovered himself, and was afterwards interred in the Abbey church. The story seems altogether doubtful, and the latter part of it is certainly untrue, for he is well known both to have died and been buried at Liege.

The chapter-house stands on the east side of the cloister court. In 1724, on repairing the building, the remains of the celebrated Hugh Lupus, the first Earl of Chester, after lying undisturbed upwards of 600 years, were discovered here, wrapped in leather, and deposited in a stone coffin. Part of his shroud is still in preservation.

Near the cathedral is Abbey Square, on the south side of which is situated the bishop's palace. The other houses of * Pennant's Tour in North Wales, vol. i.

the square are occupied principally by the prebendaries, minor canons, and vicars choral.

The cathedral was erected on the site of a nunnery founded about the year 660, by Wulpherus King of Mercia, for his daughter Werburgh, afterwards sainted, to whom it is dedicated. The chief part of the present fabric was erected during the reigns of the three last Henries.

There are at Chester eight parish CHURCHES within the walls:

St. Oswald's,

St. Peter's,

Trinity,

St. Bridget's,

St. Michael's,

St. Mary's,

St. Olave's, and

St. Martin's.

Trinity church contains the remains of Parnell, the poet, and Matthew Henry, the celebrated non-conformist and commentator. In St. Mary's church there are several magnificent tombstones and monuments.

St. John's church stands just beyond the walls, and not far from the river, in the south-east part of the town. This, which was once a collegiate church, has been a large and magnificent pile of Saxon architecture; and even yet exhibits some curious specimens of the massive strength of the Saxon columns and arches. It was founded, by Ethelred, King of Mercia, about the year 689; in consequence, says tradition, of a visionary admonition to found a place of religious worship on the first piece of ground where he should afterwards see a white hind. This legend is supposed to be represented by a piece of sculpture, now almost defaced, on the west side of the tower.

On the south side of the church-yard there was a small anchorite's cell, to which the wounded Harold retired after his defeat at the battle of Hastings; and where, in meditation and solitude, he is said to have closed his life.

In the south angle of the town walls is situated the

CASTLE, founded by Hugh Lupus in the reign of William the Conqueror; but of the ancient building there is not, at present, much left; what remains, however, is of the same red stone as the cathedral and walls.

Some years ago a part of this ancient edifice was taken down for the purpose of erecting on its site a Shire-hall, County Gaol and Barracks, all of which are now completed. A handsome portico forms the entrance to the Shire-hall, which is in the centre, behind this is the Gaol, and at either extremity the Barracks.

The GLOVER'S STONE stands at the head of Castle-street, opposite the Eagles Inn, and is the boundary, in this direction, of the jurisdiction of the city. Here the criminals used to be delivered to the city sheriffs for execution. Opinions are divided as to the origin of this singular custom. There is a tradition, that when Chester was made a separate county by Henry VII., the citizens, tenacious of privilege, took upon themselves this unpleasant task, rather than suffer the county officers to exercise any authority within their jurisdiction. Others say that this duty was imposed upon them as a punishment for having once rescued a felon from the hands of the officers, as he was on the way to execution.

The remains of a Roman HYPOCAUST may be seen by entering a public-house in Bridge-street, bearing the appellation of "The Roman Bath," which words are painted over the door. The form of the bath is rectangular, and it formerly had 32 low pillars, that supported square tiles perforated for the passage of the warm vapour into the sudatorium, or sweating-room, which is now destroyed.

Upon clearing out an under-ground cellar behind the shop of Messrs. Powell and Edwards, cutlers, on the west side of Bridge-street, the remains of an ANCIENT CRYPT was very recently discovered; these gentlemen have been

at the pains of removing many cart-loads of rubbish from the spot in order to disclose this curiosity, and they are most willing to afford any strangers who may favour them with a visit an opportunity of examining it. The following account of this piece of antiquity has been kindly furnished by the Rev. I. Eaton, precentor of Chester cathedral.

"The lower part of several of the houses in the four principal streets of the ancient city of Chester exhibit indubitable signs that they have been built on the remains of the religious buildings with which, prior to the Reformation, this city abounded.

"The ancient crypt which has been recently discovered by Messrs. Powell and Edwards is of an oblong form, running from east to west. The following are its dimensions, viz. length, 42 feet; breadth, 15 feet 3 inches; height, from the surface of the floor to the intersection of the groinings of the roof, 14 feet. This crypt was partially lighted through the upper part of the west end, in which there are three small windows divided by stone mullions, and protected by iron bars. The upper part of the groining on the centre window appears to have been cut away to admit of light, the back earth having been excavated. On examining the intersection of the groins, marks were discovered by the lead on the stone-work, that a couple of lamps had been used for lighting. The entrance to the east end is by a flight of steps cut out of the rock to the height of three feet. On the south side is an Anglo-Norman-Gothic doorway, which is attained by three or four circular steps, and forms an outlet within its inner and outer wall by another flight of steps to the surface above the building.

"The architecture is Anglo-Norman-Gothic and the groins are of the third class of groining, which came into common use about the year 1180, and was succeeded by the next class of groins in the year 1280, so that if we date

this roof as being erected about the year 1230, we shall not be far from the era of its real construction."

The principal PUBLIC BUILDINGS in Chester, besides those already mentioned, are―

The Exchange; an elegant fabric, supported on columns, and containing a large and commodious common hall, in which the quarter sessions are held, and all the city officers are elected.

The New Market-place, which was erected at the expense of the corporation in 1828.

The House of Industry, which stands near the river on the west side of the town.

The Infirmary on the west side of the town, but within the walls.

The Blue-Coat School, near the north gate. By this institution, which was founded by Bishop Stratford in the year 1706, thirty-five boys are maintained and educated for four years, at the end of which term they are put out apprentices to business. Here is also a similar institution for ten girls, who, at the end of four years, receive each forty shillings, and are placed out to service.

The North-Gate Gaol, which is the city prison for felons and debtors, and

The Bridewell, or House of Correction, where small crimes are punished by hard labour and confinement, this is near the north gate, on the opposite bank of the canal.

Sketch of the History of Chester.-From the very form of the place we are led to conjecture, that Chester was indebted to the Romans for its foundation; for the four principal streets, Bridge-street, Northgate-street, Watergatestreet, and Eastgate-street, crossing each other at right angles, still retain the original appearance of a Roman camp. Of this, however, we have no direct historical evidence, though Chester is well known to have been one of