The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1895-11-13

anu lOho VII NllO AOOA PAAAN~H
streets converging at the center Of the
town, give it truly a medieval air.
These rows are a survival Of the Roman
style Of shops, and consist of gallery,
open toward the street, of which the cell
ing of the room below forms the floor,
while the floor of the room above forms
its ceiling, the front Of the shop, which
is mostly show windows, forming the re-
naming side. These rows are reached
by fight of steps from the street, and
some Of the best and most attractive
shops in the city are found in them. In
the cellar of an old house in one OF these
streets are the remains of bath, gen
uine relic of the time of the Roman oc-
cupation. Indeed, there is enough OF
the unique and the antique in Chester,
to satisfy the most inyeterate hunter af-
ter curiOsities and antiquities.
A settlement of the early BritOns oc-
cupied the site, before the Roman inva-
sion, but not until the "Castra upon the
Dee," the headquarters of the famous
XXth legion, laid the foundations of a
permanent city, did it become important
in history. Since the departure Of the
Romans, the Welsh, SaXOns, and Danes
have each held it in turn, the latter
maintaining it year against King Al
fred. Chester was the last English city
to surrender to William the COnquerOr,
107W; the first to declare for King
Charles in the great civil war, and the
last to yield to the parliamentary army.
The present walls were built in the Nor
man period, on the Roman foundation,
which is nowhere visible, now, except
at the north gate. They are surmOunted
by lofty watch-tOwers, one Of which is
now used as a museum for Roman relics.
From Phoenix tower, at the northeast
angle of the wall, Charles l watched the
defeat of his army at RowtOn moor, in
1645.
There was jolly miller once,
Lived by the river Dee"
and his mills eight centuries old and
looking every year of their age, are
worth seeing; near by is 18th century
bridge of four arches, picturesque, and
as solid as the hills, apparently, and moi
far off is Chester castle, built by the
first Norman earl of Chester, now used as
court of assizes, gaol, barracks, and mag
azine for military supplies. Many {
seige and hard fought battle has this ole
fortress seen.
The cathedral was the largest an(
most elaborate we had seen, very ancien
like nearly all the cathedrals Of Europe
and very interesting within and without
The grotesque stone carvings with whicl
the exterior of so many Of the churches
castles, and even palaces and other pub
lie buildings were decorated (?) previOu
to the 18th century, are very amusing
and-very ugly. Amiable looking saint
and horrible grifiins stand straight Ou
from the building in prim row, abOu
twO-thirds Of the distance from tn
ground to the caves, with no visibl
means of support save that the soles 0
their feet seem glued to the wall, givinI
them the agOnizing appearance of chang
ing on by their toes" as they wrin
their necks in the effort to gaze prOperl
heavenward. Beasts, reptiles, birds
and every odd figure imaginable perc
upon roof, tower, and pinnacle, owe
doors and windows, and beneath tn
caves very life-like some of them arr
too. We were one day remarking upO
s the grace and naturalness Of carve
y bird sitting upon the tOpmOst pinnac
@ of the cathedral, when 10 it spread i
S wings and scared away before our eyes
II UnaccustOmed to the use of church,
|, as burial places, it seems strange to s,
e the walls lined with memorial tablet
e the aisles filled with costly mOnumen
d or stone sarcOphage, and the floor inval
q ably stone pavement, made up
! largely of slabs bearing the epitaphs
a those who sleep beneath, that it is In
!, possible to avoid treading upon ther
" Still more strange seems the blending
II the military with the ecclesiastical
C these mighty temples Of stone. tt
d walls of nave and aisles are hung wi
l. smoke grimed and tattered battle fla
g which have served their day and be-
g hOnorably retired, and are also grac
:, with worthy memorials to the sOldie
/. who have fallen in foreign serviC
l. Without the aid Of illustrations, cou
n not hope to picture to you the richne
g and beauty Of the choir with its superb
e carven stalls of rare old oak dark wi
le age, canopied with stately magnificent
:, their ''miserere seats" being SO nj
II row as to offer no temptation to t
to monks who formerly occupied them
Sc sleep through service however dull
long nor its bishops throne, its pulp
pSt beautiful and artistic the splt
= its chancel and altar with tn
''ver and golden furniture,
'. only little less beautif
less sacred the chantri
Is, each serving as
illustriOus fami
"agnifcent toni
screen VIII
Nir, and
11dinn