Chester Castle, which stands within the walls on the south-west side of the city, seems to have been rebuilt on the Norman model by the conqueror, and enlarged considerably beyond the space it occupied when possess ed by the Saxons. It consisted of an upper and lower ward, the entrance to each of which was defended by a gate and round tower. Within the precincts of the up per ballium* are some square towers of Norman archi tecture, with square projections at the corners slightly salient. The upper room of one of the towers, called Julius Cxsar's, has a vaulted roof, with elegant and slen der couples running down the wall, and resting on round pillars, greatly distinguished by their style and beauty of execution. The remaining part of this court is occupied by the arsenal, batteries, and habitable buildings. The noble apartment, called Hugh Lupus's hall, stood on the east side of the lower ward. The roof was supported by wood-work, carved in a bold style, and resting on strong brackets. The length of the room was almost 99 feet, its breadth 45, and its height proportionable. Ad joining to this building was a smaller one, where the chancery court of the county palatine was held, and where the petty sovereigns of the palatinate assembled in council, with their 8 barons. Enough of these old buildings still remains in competent repair in the higher ward, to afford convenient apartments for the acconnno dation of the judges on the circuit. All the rest of this edifice has been lately taken down to make room for that magnificent structure, the new county gaol, which is not equalled by any similar building in the kingdom. The gaol is built with white freestone, and contains five yards, with a working room and two day-rooms in each, having separate apartments for the women and debtors. Tne number of solitary cells for condemned criminals is 14. The principal charge incurred in building this splendid fabric w as defrayed by the income arising from the river Weaver navigation. The Propylaeum, or grand entrance into the castle, is now building : it extends about 100 feet in front, and consists of a centre, and two wings, or pavilions, of the Athenian Doric order. The great en trance is through the intercolumniations ; and the whole is of exquisite design and workmanship.
The walls round Chester are in circuit 1 mile 3 quar ters and 101 yards. They are the only entire speci mens of ancient fortification in Great Britain, but are now preserved only for the purposes of recreation. The continued walk on the top affords a great variety of prospects. The Welsh mountains, the Cheshire hills of Broxton, and the insulated rock of Beeston crowned with its cattle, the rich flat interposed, and the perpetually changing views of the river, are the most prominent and striking objects in this favourite tour. The expense of the repairs is defrayed by certain imposts called mur age-duties, collected at the custom-house on all merchan dise brought from beyond sea into the port of Chester. The whole annual amount of these is about 200/. great part of which arises from the duty on Irish linens, though the sum levied is only 2d. for 100 yards. These walls were formerly defended by several strong towers, but now only one remains, viz. that called the Phccnix tower,
from which Charles I. viewed the defeat of his army at flowston Moor.
The gates were anciently under the protection of the Earls of Shrewsbury, Oxford, and Derby, and the princi pal magistrates of the city. The guard was maintained by tolls exacted from strangers at each entrance. These gates are all elegant modern buildings. The Dee bridge is an ancient structure, with seven arches of dissimilar workmanship, no part of which, however, is probably older than the conquest. The city mills stand at the north end of the bridge, and are supplied with water from a current formed by a great dam or causeway, which crosses the river obliquely, and causes a fall of nine feet. These mills with the causeway were founded by Earl Lupus, and the revenues anciently derived from them appear to have been very considerable, as every inhabitant of the city, with the exception of the tenants of the Abbey, was restricted from grinding his coin at any other place. The present extensive premises, which are regarded as extremely complete in their construc tion, were erected a few years ago, the old mills having been burnt clown. The city is chiclly supplied with wa ter from the adjoining works, which raise it from the ri ver into a reservoir, whence it flows through pipes into the houses.
The exchange is a handsome pile, supported partly by columns, and is 126 feet long. It contains, in the south end, a mayor's banqueting-room, which is occasionally used as an assembly room for dancing. In the centre is a spacious hall, in which the courts of sessions, of crown mote, portmote, and annual elections, arc held. The north end is occupied by the justice's room, the sheriff's court, the town clerk's office, and other public offices of the city. It was erected in 1698. Near to this building is the engine house, a neat fabric, with pilasters, and a rich Corinthian cornice. The fire engines are preserved in order at the expellee of the community. In the square opposite the exchange, the market for fish and vegeta bles is kept. Salmon was formerly sold here in such profusion, that masters were frequently restricted, by a clause in the indentures, from giving it to their appren tices more than twice a week. At a small distance from the exchange are two flesh shambles, which occupy a considerable portion of the street. Here the country butchers are permitted to sell meat on market clays. On the top of one of the shambles is a capacious cistern or reservoir, which is supplied with water from the works at the bridge, for the use of the inhabitants of the higher parts of the city.
The infirmary is a handsome structure, pleasantly si tuated in an airy spot on the west side of the city. East ward of it is the entrance into the Abbey-court, over the gateway of which is the register-office for wills. The Abbey-court is a pleasant square, and the houses are re gular and handsome. Here also is the bishop's palace, erected in 1753. The Gothic structure of St Thomas's chapel, the residence of the late Dean Swift, has been ta ken down, and an elegant mansion erected on the site which it formerly occupied. Of the houses of this city in general, it is to be observed, that many are construct ed of timber.