C a t h e d r a l .
T h e ftreets were once confiderably deeper, as is apparent from:
the ihops, whofe floors lie far below the prefent pavement. T h e
lefier ftreets and allies that run into? the greater ftreets, were-
floped to the level o f the bottoms o f the latter, as is particularly^
v ifible in Bridge-Jlreet. I t is difficult to affign a reafon for thefe
hollowed ways : I can only fuppofe them to have been the void
le ft after the deftrudtion o f the antient vaults mentioned b y an
antient hiftorian : In this cyte, fays the P o ly c h r o n ic o n * , ben ways
under ertbe with vowtes and Jlone-werke wonderly wrought thre chambred
werkes : I grave with olde memes names therein. There is alfo J u l iu s
C e z a r s name wonderly in Jlones grave, and other noble mennes alfo, with
the wrytynge about: meaning the altar and monumental infcriptions
o f the Romans.
T h e cathedral (’ till the reformation the church o f the rich mo-
naftery o f St. JVerburgh) is an antient ftrufture, very ragged om
the outfide, from the nature o f the friable red ftone -f- with which
it is b u i l t ; but flail may boaft o f a moil elegant Weftern f r o n t ;
and the tabernacle work in the. choir is very n ea t: St. Werburgh’,s
ihrine is now the biihop’ s throne, decorated with the figures o f
Mercian monarchs and faints.; to whom the fair patronefs was a
bright example, liv in g immaculate with her huiband Ceolredus,
copying her aunt the great Ethelreda, who lived for three years, with
not lefs p u rity, with her good man Tonberiius, and for twelve with
her fecond huiband, the pious Prince Egfrid. H iftory relates, that
* lligdeni Polychronicon, or rather that by Roger Ceftrenfis, a Benedittine monk 0£
St. Wtrburgb’ s ; from whom Higden is faid to have itolen the whole work. Thia
Roger was cotemporary with Trivet, who died A. D. 1328.
■f Rale-Royal, 15,
this.
this religious houle was originally a nunnery, founded A. D. 660,
by Wulpherus, king o f the Mercians, in favor of his daughter’s in-
flifpofuion. The nuns, in procefs of time, gave way to canons fecu-
lar ; and they again were difplaced by Hugh Lupus, nephew to the
conqueror, 1095, and their room fupplied by Benediilines.
The beauty and elegant fimplicity of a very antique gothic chap-
ter-houfe, and its fine veftibule, merits a vifit from every traveller.
The date o f the foundation is uncertain, but it leems, from the fimi-
litude of roof and pilafters in a chapel in the lquare tower in the
caftle, to have been the work o f cotemporary architects, and thefe
architects were probably Norman -, for the mode o f fquare towers,
with fquared angles, was introduced immediately on the conqueft.
The cloifters, thé great refedtory, now the free-fchool, and a gateway
ofmoft Angular ftrudture, are at prefent the foie remains o f this
monaftery. The ruins near St. John’s church are fine reliques o f
the piety of the times ; and the mafiy columns, and round arches
within the church, moft curious fpecimens o f the clumfy ftrength
o f Saxon architecture. The former are probably the remains o f the
monaftery o f St. Mary, founded by Randal, fecond E. o f Chefter, for
Benedibline nuns. The church was founded by King Ethelred, in
689 : an uncouth infcription on the walls informs us, that ‘ King
Ethelred minding more the blifie o f heaven, edified a colledge
I church notable and famous in the fuburbs of Chejler pleafant and
& beauteous in the honour o f G od and the Baptift St. John with the
help of biihop Wtlfrice and good E x c il l io n *.’ It was rebuilt
in 906, by Ethelred, E. o f Mercia, after he had expelled the Danes
• So tranflated from bom auxilie.
C h a p t e r - h o u s e .
out