Chester is supposed to have been founded by the Ro mans, and indeed plainly appears to have been a station belonging to that people, as well from numerous indica tions of such an origin and character in its general aspect and mode of structure, as by the many antiquities which have been and still continue to be discovered in and about the town. In the days of that people, it seems to have held a very eminent rank, to have maintained the Roman splendour longer, and to have been later deserted by that people than most other of the British towns ; and even to this time the monuments both of its intimate con nexion with that race of men, and of its consideration at various subsequent periods, and during the preponder ance in the island of other nations, are by much too numerous to admit of being particularly specified in this place. When it was quitted by the Romans, it may be remarked, that the Britons maintained their liberty in it long after the Saxons had got possession of the rest of the country. From the time that it became subject to the latter people, till the reign of Charles I. it continued to be the constant scene of action between contending parties, and, like every other eminent place in similar circumstances, severely felt the scourge of the ruling factions. Under Henry VII. and VIII. it first enjoyed some respite, and the immunities granted by those monarchs were confirmed by Charles II. out of grati tude to the city for its unshaken fidelity to his unfortunate father. Chester is a bishop's see. It was anciently part of the diocese of Litchfield, one of whose bishops remov ing the seat of his see hither, A. D. 1075, his successors came to be frequently styled bishops of Chester. It Nvas not, however, till the time of the general dissolution of monasteries under King Henry VIII. that this was erected into a distinct bishopric. This diocese now con tains the counties of Cheshire and Lancashire, patt of the counties of Westmoreland, Cumberland, and York shire, two chapelrics and five parishes in Flintshire ; ire all 236 parishes, of which 101 are impropriations. Of the livings of the city, St John's is a ‘icarage, St Olave's a curacy in the patronage of the bishop ; the rest are rectories under the sane patronage, with the exception of Trinity, which is in the gift of the Earl of Derby.
The annual fairs of Chester, which are among the most notccl in England, arc held on the last Thursday in February, which is for cattle only ; July 5, and October 10, for cattle, Irish linen, cloths, hardware, hops, dra pery, and Manchester goods : The two last contidue up wards of three weeks. The stated market days arc and Saturday, when there is an abundant supply brought up of every article of provision. The city is situated in N. Lat. 53° 12', W. Long. 6° 3'.
Number of inhabited houses in 1811, . . . 3,296 Families that occupy them, 3,745 Houses building-, Houses uninhabited, 161 Families employed in agriculture, 397 Families employed in trade and manufactures, 2,296 Families not included in these classes, . . 1,052 Number or males, 7,007 Number of females, 9,133 Total population, 16.140 See Aikin's Description of the couniry round Blan chester; Pennant's Tour in Ifales, and 'Pour from Ches ter to London ; Hist. and Antiq. of Chester ; Norden's Cheshire, &c. (10
CHESTERFIELD,'a town of England, in the hun dred of Scarcsdale, and county of Derby, is situated on the side of a hill, between two rivulets, called the Ibber and the Rother. It is large and irregularly built, and contains few objects that are particularly deserving of notice. The church, which was erected towards the end of the Ilth century, is built in the form of a cross, and is both spacious and handsome. Its spire, w hich is 230 feet high, and is built of timber, covered with lead, is distorted in such a singular manner, that it appears to deviate front the perpendicular in whatever direction it is approached. In the chancel is the burying-place of the family of the Foljambs. Two large altar tombs, and several inscriptions, still remain. Previous to the tenth of Richard I., a hospital for lepers was founded in this town, and continued till the time of Henry V111. The grammar school, or chapel school as it is called, was founded in the reign of Queen •lizabeth, and was at one time the largest in the north of England. The school house was built in 1710. An elegant town-hall, com prehending the debtor's gaol, the gaoler's house, and a large room for holding the sessions, were built a few years ago in the market-place ; and, about the same time, a handsome assembly room was built at the Castle Inn. The principal manufactures of Chesterfield are stockings, coarse earthen-ware, carpets, and shoes, of which large quantities are annually sent to London. There is also a silk and cotton mill here, and great quan tities of lead arc sent from this place by the Chesterfield canal which joins the Trent below Gainsborough. The iron works in the town and neighbourhood likewise fur nish employment to the inhabitants.
The mai ket is well supplied with corn, lead, malt, leather, stockings, blankets, and bedding, in which ar ticles a very considerable trade is carried on *all the neighbouring towns.
In the parish of Chesterfield there were, in 131 1, Inhabited houses 951 Families 973 Families employed in agriculture 51 Families employed in trade 533 Males 2025 Females 2451 Total population 4476 Sec Description of England and Wales, vol. iii. p. 117; and Britton and Braylty's Beauties of .England and Miles, vol. iii. p. 537. (7:1) CHESTER-LE-STnEET, supposed to be the Conder cum of t;ie Romans, is a very large and thriving %illage, situated in a valley to the west of the river Wear, oppo site to Lumley Castle. The houses are chiefly arrang ed in a street about a mile in length, and the principal public buildings are the church, and the deanery house. The church is a handsome stone building with a nave, side aisles and tower, and contains numerous monuments, with effigies of the noble family of Lumley. The spire, which is of stone, is 156 feet hiA-h, and is reckoned one of the finest in the north of England. At \Vnitchill or \Vhitwell, in the neighbourhood, iron is made of iron stone, dug out of pits. Accorciing to the returns in 1811, the parish of Chester-le-stroct, which includes tile town ships of 1—mbten, Great Lumley, and little Lumley, con tai,.s 267 inhabited houses, 273 Families, and 1203 inhabi tants. See Brayley and Britton's Beauties of England and Males, vol. v. p. 186; and Huteninson's Durham, vol. ii. p. 398. (j)