Snowy

When the canals were first developed all traffic along them was horse-drawn, and, certainly in the 1980's, there was still was one horse-drawn narrowboat running out of Chester, although primarily only for tourists. The name of the horse was Snowy, and there was a book written by Berlie Doherty about him. Recently there was an article in the Chester Chronicle about this:

PUPILS from a city primary came face to face with a children’s author who was inspired by their school.
Youngsters at the Chester Blue Coat CE Primary School met Berlie Doherty, author of Snowy, and the main character ‘Rachel’, (Rachel Turnock), who was a pupil at St Thomas of Canterbury Junior School (now Chester Blue Coat) during the 1990s.
The book, illustrated by Keith Bowen, was originally written with help from the school’s pupils, many of whom attended the reunion.
In the story, Rachel is disappointed that she can’t take Snowy into school when her teacher asks the class to bring in their pets. Her parents say Snowy is a working animal and must stay by the canal. The solution, was to take the class to see Snowy.

Headteacher Vince O’Brien said: “The Snowy reunion was great fun. The children at Bluecoat were amazed to see the five- year-old girl Rachel visit them as a 28-year-old – it really brought the book to life for them.

The photo below shows the stable that Snowy (and previous horses) used to live in.

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Marmalade

A new cafe called Marmalade has opened on Northgate Street, and they specialise in coeliac friendly food. I was told that  almost anything on their menu can be provided in a way to make it gluten-free, though good for non-coeliacs too. You can see them here: http://www.facebook.com/marmaladechester?fref=ts

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Bagpipolorum 2013

Bagpipolorum 2013 is happening on the 29th March 2013, this time in the new venue of the Grosvenor Museum, to celebrate International Bagpiping Day (yes, there really is one...)

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Roman Wall II

The same section of Wall as in the previous post has been pierced by two openings, at an obviously later date. The openings do not appear to have names, and don't really lead to anything, so it is puzzling as to why they were put there. However, it is from this section of Wall, when it was being repaired, that the first Roman gravestones (now on display in the Grosvenor Museum) were discovered.

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Roman Wall

The section of the City Walls that lies between the Northgate and Morgan's Mount is built on a base of original Roman wall, which shows you the original height of the walls. You can also clearly see the marks made by Roman stonemasons, and what the Roman coping stones looked like.

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Odeon II - Roman Roads

The Odeon is looking ever-shabbier, but has made local and national news this week, with the discovery of two Roman roads right in front of the main screen. I asked a representative of the Council whether there would be any attempt to allow members of the public in to see the excavations, and she said it was 'up for discussion', but didn't sound hopeful. A link to the BBC article is here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-21530787

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Tin Tabernacle

Down on Whipcord Lane lies what was the Sealand Road United Reformed Church, more usually known as the Tin Tabernacle. Built in 1909, it was supposed to be a temporary structure, but has lasted for over 100 years. The church and congregation moved out last year, and the building was put up for sale, though I don't know who currently owns it.

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Williams Moorings

Down by Telford's Warehouse, and Tower Wharf, are the only residential moorings for narrowboats that I know of in Chester, at Williams Moorings. This canal basin links the Dee Basin with the Shropshire Union Canal, which is out of sight on the right. A deep lock beyond the white footbridge provides access to the higher level.

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Solar Panels

Following a fight with the city planners, solar panels have been allowed on what was once the storage area for fire engines, above the old Northgate prison cells, and directly next to the City Walls and Northgate. I think they look just fine, and hope to see more of them around town.

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The Barista's

At the end of Watergate Street nearest the Cross, there is an independent coffee shop called the Barista's. They make interesting smoothies to your specification, and great coffee. They also do courses for budding baristas (baristi?) to learn all about the differences between latte and capuccino, and how to get a good crema on their espresso. You can find out more here: www.thebaristas.co.uk

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Medieval Cupboard

In the Cathedral Chapter House there is a beautiful cupboard, with ornate ironwork. Originally it was used for holding vestments when they were not in use, although I am assured that they are now all kept somewhere else.

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Is It A Pagoda?

Is it a pagoda? Or a lookout tower? No, it's the tower in the grounds of the fire station that the firemen use for practising ladder rescues.

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Roman Ounce Lead Weights

To ensure correct quantities of foodstuffs being allocated, the Romans used a series of weights. Those shown below are smaller ones, marked with their value in Roman ounces - unciae. The Roman ounce weighed slightly less that the British Imperial ounce, equalling 27.25 grams.

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Grosvenor Open Art Exhibition

The Grosvenor Museum is hosting the 10th Chester Open Art Exhibition until the 17th April. The best entries are on display, and they are also for sale, and the viewing public can also vote for their favourite, which will win a prize. Get along there and take a look!

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Roman Lead Bread Stamp

The Romans did not have catering corps for their armies, rations were issued as raw ingredients to the men, and they had to prepare and cook their food themselves. Each soldier was issued about three pounds of corn per day. Bread ovens were usually placed to minimise risk of fire, and lead stamps were used to mark the bread. The one below reads:

CL.AVG.VIC

'(made by) Victor, of the century of Claudius Augustanus'

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Mystery Plays Trailer

This cycle of Mystery Plays are shaping up to be the most interesting-looking and professional that I have seen. There is a trailer for them here:

Mystery Plays Trailer

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Abbots of Chester

From 1092, until the dissolution of the monastery under Henry VIII in 1540, Chester Cathedral was a monastery under control of an Abbot. The abbots are listed in the Cathedral, and it is interesting to note how the names change (full list below). Originally just a name, then sometimes 'of place' or 'fitz (son of) name', surnames began to be used in the 1200's.

Richard of Bec, the first abbot, died 1117.
William, elected 1121, died 1140.
Ralph, elected 1141, died 1157.
Robert I, fitz Nigel, elected 1157, died 1175.
Robert II, elected 1175, died 1184.
Robert III of Hastings, appointed 1186, resigned 1194.
Geoffrey, elected 1194, died 1208.
Hugh Grylle, elected 1208, died 1226.
William Marmion, elected 1226, died 1228.
Walter of Pinchbeck, elected 1228, died 1240.
Roger Frend, elected 1240, died 1249.
Thomas of Capenhurst, elected 1249, died 1265.
Simon Whitchurch (de Albo Monasterio), elected 1265, died 1291.
Thomas Birchills, elected 1291, died 1323.
William Bebington, elected 1324, dead by 1352.
Richard Sainsbury, elected before 1352, resigned 1362.
Thomas Newport, elected 1363, died 1386.
William Merston, elected 1386, died 1387.
Henry Sutton, elected 1387, died 1413.
Thomas Yardley, elected 1413, died 1434.
John Saughall, elected 1435, died 1455.
Richard Oldham, elected 1455, died 1485.
Simon Ripley, elected 1485, died 1493.
John Birkenshaw, elected 1493, resigned 1524.
Thomas Highfield, elected 1524, died 1527.
Thomas Marshall, or Beche, elected 1527, displaced 1529 or 1530.
John Birkenshaw, restored 1529 or 1530, resigned 1538.
Thomas Clarke, elected 1538, surrendered the abbey in 1540.

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Nichols II

Above the doorway to Nichols, there is a gilded sign that reads 'H. Staines Waymouth Late Bracegirdle',  which I find fascinating. Before the shop was Nichols it was a bespoke tailors, certainly for at least 25 years. What was it before that? Who was 'H. Staines Waymouth Late Bracegirdle'? And why, in 30 years of living in Chester, had I never noticed it before last week? 

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Nichols

Nichols is an interesting shop at the top end of Bridge Street. It sells a mixture of clothes, shoes, jewellery, and quirky household items. Best of all, they have a shop dog, Daisy, on meet and greet duty. You can find out more about them here: http://www.nicholstyle.co.uk/

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Parkgate Road Tollbooth?

I was told, I can't remember where or when, that the building shown below was originally the tollbooth for Parkgate Road. It is in the back garden of a house in Enderby Road, which runs parallel to Parkgate Road, but my researches since have turned up nothing to either prove or disprove the assertion. Anyone else know anything more?

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Chapter House

I have always wondered what a Chapter House was for.
From Wikipedia: A chapter house or chapterhouse is a building or room that is part of a cathedral, monastery or collegiate church in which larger meetings are held. When attached to a cathedral, the cathedral chapter meets there. In monasteries, the whole community often met there on a daily basis for readings and to hear the abbot or senior monks talk. When attached to a collegiate church, the dean, prebendaries and canons of the college meet there. The rooms may also be used for other meetings of various sorts; in medieval times monarchs on tour in their territory would often take them over for their meetings and audiences.
The community of monks would meet in the chapter house with the abbot to "hold chapter"; that is, "for the reading of the "Martyrology" and the "Necrology", for the correction of faults, the assigning of the tasks for the day, and for the exhortation of the superior, and again for the evening Collation or reading before Complin". The first meeting took place in the morning, after the church services of Prime or Terce. The monks might sit along the length of the walls in strict age-order, apart from the office-holders. Imagine them sitting where the red cushion is in the photo below (although I don't think they would have had creature comforts like cushions).

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45 - 47 Foregate Street

45 - 47 Foregate Street is currently occupied by the HSBC Bank, but originally housed the Grosvenor Club, and, at street level, the North and South Wales Bank. However, at the back of the building, and much older, was the King's Arms Tavern (also known as Mother's Hall), which closed in 1979. In 1770 a group of disgruntled tradesmen who were fed up with having an unelected council fitted this out as a council chamber, which you can see here: http://aroundchester.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/grosvenor-museum-kings-arms-kitchen.html

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Spanish Armada

This stained glass is in the cloisters of the Cathedral. From the style of ship, and the date, I am guessing that it commemorates something to do with the Armada, but don't know for sure. Interestingly, when I went into the cellar of the Falcon pub, I was told that the beams of the cellar had been proved to be Spanish oak from the 1500's, and probably came from Spanish ships wrecked on the North Wales coast in the aftermath of the Armada.

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Flookersbrook II

Flookersbrook was once a long, winding stream, connected to Newton Brook, Bache Brook, and Finchett's Gutter. This was once such a good place to catch flounders, or flukes, that it was named after the 'flookers' who fished there. Centuries ago, the Dee Estuary came so close that Flookers Brook was tidal in its lower reaches and the flatfish were caught as they returned to the brackish waters after spawning at sea. In the 1630's there were several fisheries operating with 'flookenetts' on the Dee. Local fishing survived until the early 19th century.

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Choristers

When I went into the Cathedral last Saturday, I was lucky enough to witness the choir practising in the stalls.

From the Cathedral website: The English choral tradition is the lifeblood that turns our cathedrals from silent spaces into resounding places of glory. Singing eight choral services each week, shared between the boy and girl choristers and the lay clerks, Chester Cathedral Choir sings some of the greatest music from the fourteenth century to the present day. The Cathedral Choir and the Nave Choir (the longest serving cathedral voluntary choir in the country) rehearse weekly in the purpose-built Song School, which stands on the site of the monks’ dormitory. In addition to the daily worship of the cathedral, the Choir perform at least three concerts a year, record CDs and regularly appear on radio and television and, when time permits, undertake tours to other countries.

There is no choir school at Chester and the choristers are recruited from schools all over the city and surrounding area. The Cathedral itself provides bursaries for the choristers and this level of support, together with the commitment of the choir members, is absolutely vital to ensure consistently high musical standards.

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