Monday 26th July 1819
Monday July 26th Remained at Chester fully occupied the whole of the
day.
OBSERVATIONS & COMMENTS:
The Streets of Chester: The Coplands would most likely have occupied their day by inspecting the main streets and sites of Chester.
In 1839 the Chester work of Artist and lithographer John Skinner Prout was published by Ackerman & Co and Boult & Cargerall, Chester as a series of Prints called Prout's Antiquities of Chester. Although published 20 years later, these truly wonderful prints give us an idea of what the Coplands would have seen today, 200 years ago.
1839: : Bridge St. Chester, Lithograph from Prout's Antiquities of Chester, published by Ackerman & Co and Boult & Cargerall, Chester http://www.rareoldprints.com/z/19618
1839: Water Gate St. Chester, Lithograph from Prout's Antiquities of Chester, published by Ackerman & Co and Boult & Cargerall, Chester http://www.rareoldprints.com/z/19619
1839: Old Palace Water Gate St. Chester, Lithograph from Prout's Antiquities of Chester, published by Ackerman & Co and Boult & Cargerall, Chester http://www.rareoldprints.com/z/19620
1839: The Phoenix Tower, Lithograph from Prout's Antiquities of Chester, published by Ackerman & Co and Boult & Cargerall, Chester http://www.rareoldprints.com/z/19621
1839: Entrance to the Water Tower on the Walls Chester, Lithograph from Prout's Antiquities of Chester, published by Ackerman & Co and Boult & Cargerall, Chester http://www.rareoldprints.com/z/19622
1839: The Water Tower Chester, Lithograph from Prout's Antiquities of Chester, published by Ackerman & Co and Boult & Cargerall, Chester http://www.rareoldprints.com/z/19623
1839: Pemberton's Parlour on the Walls Chester, Lithograph from Prout's Antiquities of Chester, published by Ackerman & Co and Boult & Cargerall, Chester
1839: The Exchange Chester, Lithograph from Prout's Antiquities of Chester, published by Ackerman & Co and Boult & Cargerall, Chester http://www.rareoldprints.com/z/19625
1839: Interior of the Row East Gate Street Chester, Lithograph from Prout's Antiquities of Chester, published by Ackerman & Co and Boult & Cargerall, Chester http://www.rareoldprints.com/z/19626
1839: Interior of the Row East Gate Street Chester, Lithograph from Prout's Antiquities of Chester, published by Ackerman & Co and Boult & Cargerall, Chester http://www.rareoldprints.com/z/19627
1839: The Abbey Gateway Chester, Lithograph from Prout's Antiquities of Chester, published by Ackerman & Co and Boult & Cargerall, Chester http://www.rareoldprints.com/z/19628
We found these prints on http://www.rareoldprints.com/ . This comprehensive website contains a constantly expanding catalogue of antique prints and maps. Currently there are 22796 items of which 1774 are maps. Not every item is a print. There are currently 800 original works of art. Many items are for sale at very reasonable prices.
The Inn: Lucy fails to tell us where the Coplands stayed when they were in Chester. She usually states opinions: A comfortable Inn …. A good Inn…. A tolerable Inn …. but she makes no comment on where they breakfasted, dined or stayed. We have been able to locate several Inns that the family may have visited.
The Falcon stands on the west side of Lower Bridge Street at its junction with Grosvenor Road. The Falcon is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building. The building formerly incorporated part of Chester Rows, but it was the first building to have its portion of the row enclosed in the 17th century. Below is another magnificent print by John Skinner Prout featuring the Falcon Inn on Bridge Street.
1839: Bridge St. Chester, Lithograph from Prout's Antiquities of Chester, published http://www.rareoldprints.com/z/19617
Here is the Falcon Inn today:
2019: Corner shot of the Falcon, Chester, with Lower Bridge Street (to left) and Grosvenor Street (to right). Author Rodhullandemu. Attribution: By Phil Nash from Wikimedia Commons. The copyright holder of this file, Rodhullandemu, published it under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/The_Falcon_Inn%2C_Chester_2019.jpg
The building originated as a house in about 1200 and was later extended to the south along Lower Bridge Street, with a great hall running parallel to the street. During the 13th century it was rebuilt to incorporate its portion of the row. It was rebuilt again during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The house was bought in 1602 by Sir Richard Grosvenor who extensively altered it some 40 years later to make it his town house. During the Civil War he moved his family here from his country home, Eaton Hall. In 1643 Sir Richard petitioned the City Assembly for leave to enlarge his house by enclosing the portion of the row which passed through his property. This was successful and it set a precedent for other residents of Lower Bridge Street to enclose their portion of the rows, or to build new structures which did not incorporate the rows.
In the late 18th century the building ceased to be the town house of the Grosvenor family. It continued to be owned by them, and between 1778 and 1878 it was licensed as The Falcon Inn.
In about 1879 alterations were made by John Douglas. At this time it was known as The Falcon Cocoa House and it was re-opened as a temperance house. In 1886 Grayson and Ould carried out a restoration. By the 1970s the building had become virtually derelict. In 1979 the Falcon Trust was established, and the building was donated to the trust by the Grosvenor Estate. Between 1979 and 1982 the building was restored and in 1983 it won a Europa Nostra award. The building was donated to the Falcon Trust by the Grosvenor Estate, and was reopened by the Duke of Westminster in May 1992. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Falcon,_Chester#/media/File:The_Falcon_inn,_Chester.jpg
The Pied Bull on the corner of Northgate Street and King Street is an old coaching inn. The façade is 18th century, but there has been a building here for much longer than that, and the staircase is 16th century. On the right hand support there is a facsimile of an old coaching sign. The building dates from the 17th century, probably in the site of two medieval tenements. It was partly re-fronted in the later part of the 17th century, and extended to the rear in the 19th century. It is thought to be the Chester inn described by George Borrow in Wild Wales. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pied_Bull_Hotel
Quote from Historic England at https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1376356 : the Pied Bull is almost certainly the inn where George Borrow admired the strapping chambermaid, commented on the ale and spat the proffered Cheshire Cheese into the street. (Borrow George: Wild Wales: 1862-).
2019: Grade II* listed pub on Northgate Street, Chester, dating to 17th century, and possibly earlier. Author Rodhullandemu. Attribution: By Phil Nash from Wikimedia Commons. The copyright holder of this file, Rodhullandemu, published it under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Pied_Bull,_Chester.jpg
Haunted Rooms describe the Inn as “dating back to the 11th century, the Pied Bull is thought to be the oldest continuously licensed premises in Chester. It used to be a coaching inn and so has had a huge number of guests staying there during its time as a stop-off point for people travelling up and down the country. In 1533, when the hotel was known as the ‘Bull Mansion’, a handmade wooden staircase was installed, which is still standing today. In 1784, a coach and four started to run from the hotel, ran by John Paul to Birkenhead, and in 1854 George Borrow stayed here before his tour of ‘Wild Wales’. Now, the hotel is run as a town-centre oak-beamed pub and hotel”. https://www.hauntedrooms.co.uk/the-pied-bull-chester-cheshire Haunted Rooms continues: “As the hotel dates back to the 11th century, it has its fair share of ghostly goings on and paranormal happenings, warranting an investigation by the television show ‘Whines and Spirits’. The ghost of a man is said to haunt the cellar and the cellar seems to be the hub of all of the paranormal activity, with some staff members actually refusing to go down there alone. The man who haunts the cellar is thought to be named John Davies, and in 1609 it was reported that ‘he casually fell down a flight of stairs leading to the cellar belonging to the pied bull, and with a knife in his hand… and died’. As well as the ghost in the cellar, two of the bedrooms are said to be haunted by chambermaids who used to work at the hotel – perhaps they enjoyed their time there so much, they didn’t want to leave”
The Boot Inn was built in the early to middle part of the 17th century, opening as an inn in 1643. Its façade was rebuilt and restored in the late 19th century.
2008: Ye Olde Boot Inn, Eastgate Row The Boot Inn on Eastgate Row is a genuine 17th century building dating to 1643. The shoe shop Ecco has the ground floor level and the inn has the upper two storeys. Source From geograph.org.uk. Author John S Turner. The copyright on this image is owned by John S Turner and is licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ye_Olde_Boot_Inn,_Eastgate_Row_-_geograph.org.uk_-_788404.jpg
For many years most of the front section of the building at Row level was occupied by a barber's shop, with a corridor leading to the public house beyond it. Since alterations and restorations were carried out in 1988 the whole of the Row level has been occupied by a public house.
Where did they stay?
Probably the Falcon due to its association with the Grosvenor family. The Pied Bull is another possibility but it was a very busy coaching Inn and, given that they stayed in Chester for several days we feel that the Falcon and its aristocratic connections might have been socially more acceptable for a longer stay. The smaller Boot Inn would probably have been less suitable. (see note from Jeff, below, concerning the Boot Inn)
With Thanks to Jeff: We have had the following very kind suggestions from Jeff concerning the Inns where Lucy might have stayed: You were looking for suggestions about where the Coplands may have stayed. These could include: 1) the main coaching inn around 1819 would have included the White Lion on Northgate St, which is where the Town Hall is now. 2) the Yacht Inn which was where the ring road is now beyond Bar Lounge on Watergate St. 3) Golden Lion on Foregate St. There were 3 Golden Lions, but the main one at that time would have been the one on the corner of Foregate St and Love St where the old cinema used to be. 4) Feathers Inn on upper Bridge St, where St Michaels Arcade is now on the East side. Other possibilities for main coaching inns/hotels around the time are the Royal Hotel, Green Dragon, and Mitre, all on Eastgate St. Without further clues, it's impossible to tell. However, it's highly unlikely to have been the Boot Inn as that was always a small tavern, and to my knowledge has never accepted guests.
Can you help us?
Other Inns? We have been able to locate three inns operating at the time of Lucy’s visit. Were there others the family might have stated at?
Old Regency Prints, Pictures an Coaching maps: Do you have access to any prints or pictures showing what town and country would have looked like when Lucy travelled through? Any illustrations of what she would have seen in 1819 will enliven our research.
New Pictures: Do you have any modern pictures of the streets, buildings, gardens and views that would enable us to see the changes that two centuries have wrought?