|
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9
Mayor John Hope (Henry V. 1421) forbade butchers,
fishmongers, and cooks to buy calves, fresh fish, capons, or hens before the first hour (ante horam primam, six
o' clock), or to go outside the city to forestall the same before they were brought into the city; and they were
directed to permit the same to be brought to the market place for sale under penalty of disfranchisement and a
fine of 6/8 to the Sheriffs. The same year an order was made that no foreigner (extrancus) or baker should buy,
or cause to be brought, any grain within the market before eleven o' clock, nor after that hour until the citizens
and commonalty of the city were able to buy in sufficiency for themselves. The penalty was imprisonment and 6/8.
In the reign of Elizabeth I. Chester was a town of a modest size , with a population
of perhaps four thousand people. Most buildings were contained within the city walls although suburbs had grown
up outside the Northgate and the Eastgate and beyond the Dee bridge in Handbridge. The city still had a rural appearance
, with large open fields , orchards and gardens inside the walled area . For the most of the Tudor period, the
river Dee flowed close to the North western wall and even in 1580s, the Water Tower, built to protect the medieval
harbour 'standeth ' in the very River '. However where large ships had once sailed up to the Watergate , the , '.... now scarce small boates are able to come , The Sandes have so
chocked the Chanell . ' South from the Watergate , the recession of
the river had left a smooth field the Roodee, which is used for grazing and sporting events .
Many of the medieval public buildings were rebuilt or altered during the sixteenth
century. The castle had fallen into 'sore decay ' and major repairs were undertaken in 1511and again between 1577
and 1582, when the great hall was reconstructed. Chester 's Common Hall or Moot Hall was originally situated near
the present Commonhall Street, but by the early sixteenth century, the Assembly, the city's governing body, was
meeting in the former St. Nicholas ' Chapel in Northgate Street. In 1546, the Assembly ordered that this ' very
great house of stone ' be reconstructed as the new Common Hall. The upper floor became a council chamber and court
rooms, whilst the ground floor was used for storage of wool , cloth , corn and other goods to be sold in Chester.
The Corn Market house occupied three sites during the reign of Elizabeth I. it was moved from the west side of
Northgate Street to a site adjacent to the Bishop 's Palace and in 1576 , to the Northgate ditch.
1581 The citizens obtained from the Queen a grant of the Old Shire Hall it belonged to
the county here the forces of the Earls of Chester, or the Sovereign in later times would have summoned to meet
and find accommodation for their horse and foot soldiers it was used as a supplement to the resources of the castle.
Finding themselves short of a market building the city authorities cast longing eyes at the old building which
they considered no longer required for its original purpose. The Mayor opened a correspondence with Lord Burleigh
on the subject as to a free grant of the same building as it was for the use of the citizens. The Treasury were
not in the mood for to give but would sell for £40 . The Mayor in forwarding the money, with thanks to the
Lord Treasurer, said that although the Corporation could not gratify his Lordship as they ought, yet they presumed
to send half a dozen cheeses . It was erected in Northgate Street , opposite the Abbey Gate , and mainly used as
a shambles by the butchers. (Gloversone , Chester G. W. Shrubsole, F. G. S. Chester Archeoligical Society &
Historic Society )
<
Chester's
Indoor Public Market
Chester since the 12th Century, its roots steeped in history from Early Roman Times
Located behind the Town Hall Located behind the Town Hall Open Monday-Saturday
6 Princess Street
Chester
Cheshire
U.K.
CH1 2HH
Click on the above picture of Ye Olde Chester Market for information on the history and origin of markets
Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 | Page 7 | Page 8 | Page 9
Mayor John Hope (Henry V. 1421) forbade butchers, fishmongers, and cooks to buy calves, fresh fish, capons, or hens before the first hour (ante horam primam, six o' clock), or to go outside the city to forestall the same before they were brought into the city; and they were directed to permit the same to be brought to the market place for sale under penalty of disfranchisement and a fine of 6/8 to the Sheriffs. The same year an order was made that no foreigner (extrancus) or baker should buy, or cause to be brought, any grain within the market before eleven o' clock, nor after that hour until the citizens and commonalty of the city were able to buy in sufficiency for themselves. The penalty was imprisonment and 6/8.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the reign of Elizabeth I. Chester was a town of a modest size , with a population of perhaps four thousand people. Most buildings were contained within the city walls although suburbs had grown up outside the Northgate and the Eastgate and beyond the Dee bridge in Handbridge. The city still had a rural appearance , with large open fields , orchards and gardens inside the walled area . For the most of the Tudor period, the river Dee flowed close to the North western wall and even in 1580s, the Water Tower, built to protect the medieval harbour 'standeth ' in the very River '. However where large ships had once sailed up to the Watergate , the , '.... now scarce small boates are able to come , The Sandes have so chocked the Chanell . ' South from the Watergate , the recession of the river had left a smooth field the Roodee, which is used for grazing and sporting events .
Many of the medieval public buildings were rebuilt or altered during the sixteenth century. The castle had fallen into 'sore decay ' and major repairs were undertaken in 1511and again between 1577 and 1582, when the great hall was reconstructed. Chester 's Common Hall or Moot Hall was originally situated near the present Commonhall Street, but by the early sixteenth century, the Assembly, the city's governing body, was meeting in in the former St. Nicholas ' Chapel in Northgate Street. In 1546, the Assembly ordered that this ' very great house of stone ' be reconstructed as the new Common Hall. The upper floor became a council chamber and court rooms, whilst the ground floor was used for storage of wool , cloth , corn and other goods to be sold in Chester. The Corn Market house occupied three sites during the reign of Elizabeth I. it was moved from the west side of Northgate Street to a site adjacent to the Bishop 's Palace and in 1576 , to the Northgate ditch.
1581 The citizens obtained from the Queen a grant of the Old Shire Hall it belonged to the county here the forces of the Earls of Chester, or the Sovereign in later times would have summoned to meet and find accomadation for their horse and foot soldiers it was used as a supplement to the resources of the castle. Finding themselves short of a market building the city authorities cast longing eyes at the old building which they considered no longer required for its original purpose. The Mayor opened a corespondance with Lord Burleigh on the subject as to a free grant of the same building as it was for the use of the citizens. The Treasury were not in the mood for to give but would sell for £40 . The Mayor in forwarding the money, with thanks to the Lord Treasurer, said that although the Corperation could not gratify his Lordship as they ought, yet they presumed to send half a dozen cheeses . It was erected in Northgate Street , opposite the Abbey Gate , and mainly used as a shambles by the butchers. (Gloversone , Chester G. W. Shrubsole, F. G. S. Chester Archeoligical Society & Historic Society )
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Manufacturing Halls
Large quadrangular buildings, having squares in the center, with the exception of the Manchester Hall, which consists merely of three double rows of shops, erected against the walls of the adjoining tenements, with narrow passages in front for public convenience. They are opened during July and October Chester Fairs for the convenience of traders and manufacturers, who resort thither with their goods from all parts of England and Ireland. The Linen, Union and Commercial Halls were built for general market purposes.
The Irish Linen Hall Built in 1778 at the expense of the linen merchants was situated in Watergate - street between Stanley Place and Lower lane, and contains 36 double and 24 single shops it is used, as its name imports, as a mart for Irish Linens. It was for many years used as the Cheese Mart, The latter Hall was a sleepy quiet place but often , in a few hours , cheese to the value of £5,000 would change hands. It was sold by the hundred weight , and only under exceptional circumstances could a single cheese be bought . Many tons of Cheshire cheese were from time to time shipped for London and other large towns as well as to the Continent .
The Union Hall stood on the south side of Forgate - street, it was erected in 1809 , and contains 60 single and 10 double shops, exclusive of an immense warehouse in the upper floor . It is chiefly used for the sale of Yorkshire cloths It is quadrangular in shape , with three stories of lock up shops or store rooms, has perhaps, the most interesting memories linked with it; having the appearance of an old inn yard, it was, if anything, more patronized than the others, and continued to be closely associated with the horse fairs, held at its front entrance. In olden times it was customary to sound a bugle on the Northgate at the opening of the October fair, it was later moved to the Cattle Market in George Street , in 1884.
The Commercial Hall was erected in 1815. It is situated on the North side of Foregate - street opposite the Union Hall , and contains 20 double and 56 single shops. Sheffield and Birmingham goods and small wares are the principal articles sold here .
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chester Corperation's new Market Halls
It was in 1827 that the late Ald. H . Bowers, who during his second mayoralty succeeded in originating plans for, and nearly seeing executed, during the term of his office, the erection of the market halls. As might be expected, great opposition was made by owners of property, where the markets had been partially held before; But the frequent complaints of public - spirited and respectable citizens, joined to the example furnished by the neighboring town of Liverpool, the improvements were materially accelerated by the labour and energy of the public press, which was constantly on the alert, in urging the necessity of the corporation to accommodate the city with markets befitting this ancient city.
The erection of the New Markets was commenced by Mr. Royle in spring 1828, and completed by the summer , at a cost of £4,000 which was born by the corporation.
The New Markets are in Northgate Street from the end of Shoemakers Row (commonly called so, as the Crispin brotherhood having formerly made it their market - place or residence) to the Exchange, a distance of about fifty paces, is an open area, the left being occupied by a fish market, the center by vendors of vegetables; and still further to the left, is the bank of Messrs Dixon and Wardle, and the White Lion Hotel, a respectable coaching establishment.
The street here is very wide, and nearly in the center, stands the Exchange, through which is an excellent thoroughfare, the western side being at present though not in its early days, occupied by shops, and the eastern resting on round pillars of stone . Crossing a narrow avenue from the north end of the Exchange, and we enter through an iron - grated door the market house apportioned for the sale of butter, on the market days , for butter on the east side of Nortgate - street; and the meat and poultry markets are on the east side of the street opposite the Exchange With a market for potatoes nearer the west side of the upper part of Northgate - street. The New Markets are built of brick pointed with stone, roofed in and lighted from the top, and open on all sides.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1831 The city witnessed a dramatic rise in population in the first thirty years of the nineteenth century, when the population increased by more than a third from 15,000 in 1801 to over 21,000
The traditional custom of holding the markets in the streets was also beginning to meet opposition. Something of a test case appears to been created in 1833 . When a resident of Nortgate - Street had part of the footway in front of his house enclosed with railings , thus infringing the long standing right of the pig and cattle drovers to use the streets to display their wares
" Among the new paving of the street and the flagging of the footways now in progress we notice the flagging and enclosure with iron railings of the space in front of the residence of the late Mr. Folliott in Northgate - Street . This is certainly a very slightly improvement , but we understand the legality is likely to be questioned as an encroachment . The pig and cattle drovers who attend our fairs will put their claim of prescriptive right to the locus in quo , as part of the public street to exhibit their livestock for sale . It was only at the last horn and hoof fair that we saw a squad of " illigant pigs " snoozing in their litter on this very spot, underneath the parlor window . If we remember right, Mr. Folliott's coachman sailed out to lay the soft end of his whip upon the grunters, and got knocked down for the same by their owner on the principle strike me, strike my pig and when little Jehu came before the magistrates for redress, he was told that the Irish - man's illigant pigs had a right to disport themselves on the place in question, as part of a public street. As iron railings now render the spot more commodious, makes it in fact an admirable hog - style or shippon, as the circumstances may require, we would suggest, rather than forgo so ornamental an improvement and for the accommodation of all parties, that a compromise should take place between the owner of the premises and the pig - drovers , by the former taking down the entrance gate on every fair day."
The Victorian Public Market Hall
Onward we go , until an open space upon our left introduces us to the old Market Place of Chester . The market for vegetables were held on this spot, with no covering but the blue sky . But the sale of fish was conducted in a detached building which occupied , we will not say adorned the lower end of the market place.
At the western side of this open square stood the White Lion Hotel, a house which, in the old coaching days was one of the most thriving establishments in Chester , but which fell away with advent of steam . In 1861 the site of the Hotel and adjoining buildings was purchased by the Corporation . for the building of a new public market .
Excavation was later to reveal that this area was the site of the Praetorium, the grand headquarters building for the use of the 20th Legion Valeria Victrix , quartered in the fortress of Deva on and off for the first three centuries A . D. It was in the winter of 1861/62 that demolition gangs were clearing the closeely built - up area lying between Hamilton Place and Northgate Street to provide the site for the new Market Hall, with further work proceeding as far as Princess Street. A wealth of architectural memories stood within the area ... Dixon and wardles Bank , the Old white Lion ' and the ' Saracen's Haed ' Inns amongst them.
The new foundation stone for the new Market Hall was laid in a spectacular cereomony on April 2 1862 , by the Mayor of the time , Alderman John Trevor , along with civic dignitaries and supporters. As part of the ceremonies, silver vessels holding corn, wine, oil and salt were ceremonialy emptied upon the foundation stone, as the mayor intoned his speech ' May the all bounteous Author of Nature bless this city with abundance of corn, wine, oil and salt, and with all the necessities and comforts of life . '
A competion had been held to design a new covered market to replace the open street markets. The winning architect was James M. Hay of Liverpool who produced the splendid and unique building with a jolly Baroque facade. It was publicly opened in the spring on March 10th 1863 on the Prince of Wales Wedding day . The procession led by the Mayor who was followed by the Corporation they passed into the market, where the mayor gave a speech he found it very gratifying to see so many of the fair sex were present , he assured them that they deserved their smiles, for the cause was the inclement weather that impelled us to build the market . Later the procession proceeded down Watergate St., then Grosvenor St. passing the temporary platforms for the throng of enthusiastic sightseers to the castle were the Artillery fired a salute .
The idea of course was to put the open market where meat, vegetables and so on were sold, plus the nearby fish shops , under cover in one place . Butchers had lock up shops at one end . These had fire places where the men could warm themselves or heat water . The fishmongers had their enclosed shops at the far end , in the center were stalls for market gardeners , dairy men and others to sell their wares .
The interior arrangements were certainly satisfactory. The market is large and well arranged the building accommodates all branches. Here cheese fairs are held monthly; and annually the Cheshire Dairy Show , promoted by the Cheshire Dairy Farmers Assoc: takes place within these walls.
The extension of the Market behind the Town Hall is sometimes used for large public gatherings . On the occasion of the Mayors reception of the Indian and Colonial visitors in 1886, this portion was turned into a highly decorated banqueting room.
The hall was plain inside with glass roofs supported by uncovered cast iron pillars. It was built on roughly shaped red sandstone foudations with a yellow sandstone facade which was adorned with pillars built against it . Between them were fancy round windows and on top of them stone balls and above them on the roof line, decorative balustrades. A gable end in the middle rose above the rest with a sculpture surmounting all .With a clock over the main door.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 1960's
The Old Market Hall in Northgate Street closed its doors to the public for the last time on Saturday 17 June 1867, a commentator at the time said " It is too early yet for Cestrians to have forgoten this solid Victorian building with its heavy clasical stone facade-its large wide - open trading area surrounded by shops and covered over with high iron roofs supported on stanchions , and the whole enclosed with roof sheeting and glazing to give light , airy , markrt place , big enough to serve the growing city of Chester for more than a hundred years . " ( Bygone Chester Chronicle )
95% of the traders moved into the New Market . It was a move of about 50 yards up hill, the council set aside about one dozen trucks to help with the move. The oldest stall holder Mrs. Elizabeth Huxley who had the sweets stall felt the atmosphere will be lost in the move . Mr. Alan Pickup a trader for 14 years felt the entrance to be inadequate, Mr. P. Lewis a Butcher for 22 years felt that with the Civic Theatre , Hotel and new shops it could become the New City Centre.
Jim Barnes had been in business since the war and was dissatisfied with the Fish Market .
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chester Market used to be situated on Northgate Street next to the Town Hall, where it traded for over 100 years before moving to the current site in Princess Street in 1967. The lively city of Chester, is steeped in history and, and has been attracting shoppers looking for bargains for thousands of years.
The earliest mention of Chester Market was in 1139, when the first shopping charter was issued in 1208 and 'the men of Chester and heirs' were granted the privilege of sole selling rights, except the annual fairs which were fair game for all-comers.
Henry III confirmed this in 1239 and so it remained right up to until the Great Charter 1506, which gave Chester its first mayor. With a sharp eye for business, the local boys wasted no time in expanding shopping opportunities to include coal and cattle markets among other enterprises. The famous Rows were originally named after the trading that went on. There was a Shoemakers, Cooks and Ironmongers Row - and a Pepper Alley and Fish Shambles. Then came Linen Hall, the Fruit, Root & Herb Market...indeed Chester sold practically every thing!
The horse, cloth and cheese fairs of old were to be the natural forerunners of today's magnificent array of shops, not forgetting the bustling town centre market, which has continued for centuries, by order of king and queen.
ChesterTourist.com Site Ring
Ring Owner: Webmaster Site: ChesterTourist.com
>
The Manufacturing
Halls
Large quadrangular buildings, having squares in
the centre, with the exception of the Manchester Hall, which consists merely of three double rows of shops, erected
against the walls of the adjoining tenements, with narrow passages in front for public convenience. They are opened
during July and October Chester Fairs for the convenience of traders and manufacturers, who resort thither with
their goods from all parts of England and Ireland. The Linen, Union and Commercial Halls were built for general
market purposes.
The Irish Linen
Hall Built in 1778 at the expense of the linen merchants was situated in Watergate - street between Stanley Place
and Lower lane, and contains 36 double and 24 single shops it is used, as its name imports, as a mart for Irish
Linens. It was for many years used as the Cheese Mart, The latter Hall was a sleepy quiet place but often , in
a few hours , cheese to the value of £5,000 would change hands. It was sold by the hundred weight , and only
under exceptional circumstances could a single cheese be bought . Many tons of Cheshire cheese were from time to
time shipped for London and other large towns as well as to the Continent .
The Union Hall stood on the south side of Foregate - street, it was erected in 1809 , and contains 60 single
and 10 double shops, exclusive of an immense warehouse in the upper floor . It is chiefly used for the sale of
Yorkshire cloths It is quadrangular in shape , with three stories of lock up shops or store rooms, has perhaps,
the most interesting memories linked with it; having the appearance of an old inn yard, it was, if anything, more
patronized than the others, and continued to be closely associated with the horse fairs, held at its front entrance.
In olden times it was customary to sound a bugle on the Northgate at the opening of the October fair, it was later
moved to the Cattle Market in George Street , in 1884.
The Commercial Hall was erected in 1815. It is situated on the
North side of Foregate - street opposite the Union Hall , and contains 20 double and 56 single shops. Sheffield
and Birmingham goods and small wares are the principal articles sold here .
Chester Corporation's new Market
Halls
It was in 1827 that the late Ald. H . Bowers, who during his second mayoralty
succeeded in originating plans for, and nearly seeing executed, during the term of his office, the erection of
the market halls. As might be expected, great opposition was made by owners of property, where the markets had
been partially held before; But the frequent complaints of public - spirited and respectable citizens, joined to
the example furnished by the neighbouring town of Liverpool, the improvements were materially accelerated by the
labour and energy of the public press, which was constantly on the alert, in urging the necessity of the corporation
to accommodate the city with markets befitting this ancient city.
The erection of the New Markets was commenced by Mr. Royle in spring 1828, and completed by the summer , at a cost
of £4,000 which was born by the corporation.
 |
|
The New Markets are in Northgate Street from the end of Shoemakers Row (commonly
called so, as the Crispin brotherhood having formerly made it their market - place or residence) to the Exchange,
a distance of about fifty paces, is an open area, the left being occupied by a fish market, the centre by vendors
of vegetables; and still further to the left, is the bank of Messrs Dixon and Wardle, and the White Lion Hotel,
a respectable coaching establishment. |
The street here is very wide, and nearly in the centre, stands the Exchange, through
which is an excellent thoroughfare, the western side being at present though not in its early days, occupied by
shops, and the eastern resting on round pillars of stone . Crossing a narrow avenue from the north end of the Exchange,
and we enter through an iron - grated door the market house apportioned for the sale of butter, on the market days
, for butter on the east side of Northgate - street; and the meat and poultry markets are on the east side of the
street opposite the Exchange With a market for potatoes nearer the west side of the upper part of Northgate - street.
The New Markets are built of brick pointed with stone, roofed in and lighted from the top, and open on all sides.
1831 The city witnessed a dramatic rise in population
in the first thirty years of the nineteenth century, when the population increased by more than a third from 15,000
in 1801 to over 21,000
The traditional custom of holding the markets in
the streets was also beginning to meet opposition. Something of a test case appears to been created in 1833 . When
a resident of Nortgate - Street had part of the footway in front of his house enclosed with railings , thus infringing
the long standing right of the pig and cattle drovers to use the streets to display their wares
" Among the new paving of the street and the
flagging of the footways now in progress we notice the flagging and enclosure with iron railings of the space in
front of the residence of the late Mr. Folliott in Northgate - Street . This is certainly a very slightly improvement
, but we understand the legality is likely to be questioned as an encroachment . The pig and cattle drovers who
attend our fairs will put their claim of prescriptive right to the locus in quo , as part of the public street
to exhibit their livestock for sale . It was only at the last horn and hoof fair that we saw a squad of "
illigant pigs " snoozing in their litter on this very spot, underneath the
parlour window . If we remember right, Mr. Folliott's coachman sailed out to lay the soft end of his whip upon the
grunters, and got knocked down for the same by their owner on the principle strike me, strike my pig and when little
Jehu came before the magistrates for redress, he was told that the Irish - man's illigant pigs had a right to disport
themselves on the place in question, as part of a public street. As iron railings now render the spot more commodious,
makes it in fact an admirable hog - style or shippon, as the circumstances may require, we would suggest, rather
than forgo so ornamental an improvement and for the accommodation of all parties, that a compromise should take
place between the owner of the premises and the pig - drovers , by the former taking down the entrance gate on
every fair day."
The
Victorian
Public Market Hall
Onward we go , until an open space upon our left introduces us to the old Market
Place of Chester . The market for vegetables were held on this spot, with no covering but the blue sky . But the
sale of fish was conducted in a detached building which occupied , we will not say adorned the lower end of the
market place.
At the western side of this open square stood the White Lion Hotel, a house which,
in the old coaching days was one of the most thriving establishments in Chester , but which fell away with advent
of steam . In 1861 the site of the Hotel and adjoining buildings was purchased by the Corporation . for the building
of a new public market .
Excavation was later to reveal that this area was the site of the Praetorium,
the grand headquarters building for the use of the 20th Legion Valeria Victrix , quartered in the fortress of Deva
on and off for the first three centuries A . D. It was in the winter of 1861/62 that demolition gangs were clearing
the closely built - up area lying between Hamilton Place and Northgate Street to provide the site for the new
Market Hall, with further work proceeding as far as Princess Street. A wealth of architectural memories stood within
the area ... Dixon and Wardles Bank , the Old white Lion ' and the ' Saracen's Head ' Inns amongst them.
The new foundation stone for the new Market Hall was laid in a spectacular ceremony
on April 2 1862 , by the Mayor of the time , Alderman John Trevor , along with civic dignitaries and supporters.
As part of the ceremonies, silver vessels holding corn, wine, oil and salt were ceremonially emptied upon the foundation
stone, as the mayor intoned his speech ' May the all
bounteous Author of Nature bless this city with abundance of corn, wine, oil and salt, and with all the necessities
and comforts of life . '
A completion had been held to design a new covered market to replace the open
street markets. The winning architect was James M. Hay of Liverpool who produced the splendid and unique building
with a jolly Baroque facade. It was publicly opened in the spring on March 10th 1863 on the Prince of Wales Wedding
day . The procession led by the Mayor who was followed by the Corporation they passed into the market, where the
mayor gave a speech he found it very gratifying to see so many of the fair sex were present , he assured them that
they deserved their smiles, for the cause was the inclement weather that impelled us to build the market . Later
the procession proceeded down Watergate St., then Grosvenor St. passing the temporary platforms for the throng
of enthusiastic sightseers to the castle were the Artillery fired a salute .
 |
|
The idea of course was to put the open market where meat, vegetables and so on were
sold, plus the nearby fish shops , under cover in one place . Butchers had lock up shops at one end . These had
fire places where the men could warm themselves or heat water . The fishmongers had their enclosed shops at the
far end , in the centre were stalls for market gardeners , dairy men and others to sell their wares .
The interior arrangements were certainly satisfactory. The market is large and well arranged the building accommodates
all branches. Here cheese fairs are held monthly; and annually the Cheshire Dairy Show , promoted by the Cheshire
Dairy Farmers Assoc: takes place within these walls. |
The extension of the Market behind the Town Hall is sometimes used for large public
gatherings . On the occasion of the Mayors reception of the Indian and Colonial visitors in 1886, this portion
was turned into a highly decorated banqueting room.
The hall was plain inside with glass roofs supported by uncovered cast iron pillars.
It was built on roughly shaped red sandstone foundations with a yellow sandstone facade which was adorned with pillars
built against it . Between them were fancy round windows and on top of them stone balls and above them on the roof
line, decorative balustrades. A gable end in the middle rose above the rest with a sculpture surmounting all .With
a clock over the main door.
The 1960's
The Old Market Hall in Northgate Street closed its doors to the public for the
last
time
on Saturday 17 June 1867, a commentator at the time said " It
is too early yet for Cestrians to have forgotten this solid Victorian building with its heavy classical stone facade-its
large wide - open trading area surrounded by shops and covered over with high iron roofs supported on stanchions
, and the whole enclosed with roof sheeting and glazing to give light , airy , market place , big enough to serve
the growing city of Chester for more than a hundred years . "
( Bygone Chester Chronicle )
95% of the traders moved into the New
Market
. It was a move of about 50 yards up hill, the council set aside about one dozen trucks
to help with the move. The oldest stall holder Mrs. Elizabeth Huxley who had the sweets stall felt the atmosphere
will be lost in the move . Mr. Alan Pickup a trader for 14 years felt the entrance to be inadequate, Mr. P. Lewis
a Butcher for 22 years felt that with the Civic Theatre , Hotel and new shops it could become the New City Centre.
Jim Barnes had been in business since the war and was dissatisfied with the Fish
Market .
|
ChesterTourist.com Site Ring
