History Facts

The Curfew On The Welsh

The story about the Welsh being excluded from Chester after dark originated during the Glyndwr rebellion of 1403. Henry, Prince of Wales (future Henry V) was also Earl of Chester and on 4 Sept 1403 he ordered that all Welsh people and Welsh sympathisers should be expelled from the City; none should enter the city before sunrise or stay after sunset on pain of decapitation (not hanging, but it would have the same effect!). There are records of people standing surety for the good behaviour of Welshmen arrested under the order. The text books don't refer to anyone ever paying the maximum penalty for this 'crime'. Concern over 'the Welsh threat' continued into the 15th century and Chester was seen very much as a border town. There is no record that Henry V's order was ever repealed.

Hear about the order by downloading an MP3 audio file (MP3 Download)  featuring Eileen Willshaw in conversation with BBC Radio 4

Please note this file is 2.75MB and will require a multi media player on your PC. 

The Tradition of "Beating The Bounds"

This curious ceremony of "beating" the Chester bounds has a tradition stretching as far back as 1540.

The Mayor Henry Gee, was the first to enact the ceremony in Chester in 1540, and there have only been 23 other occasions since, when this has been done. The ceremony itself as once commonly celebrated throughout Europe, and involved the mayor and a band of citizens beating the boundaries of the city.

Its purpose was to invoke God's blessing on the crops, but also to make the citizens familiar with the extent of their land, a crucial exercise in days when maps were virtually non-existent.

On 7 October 1972 Mayor Ribbeck enacted the ceremony for the first time since Mayor Dutton had in 1913 (he himself had revived it after 40 years).

The 20thC. boundary extensions, new housing estates, road widening projects and so on, make the re-enacting difficult to do today.

RAF Sealand

RAF Sealand originated as a small Aerodrome and flying school run by a young engineer called Thomas Murray Dutton. In 1917 the Aerodrome was taken over by the Royal Flying Corps. The first units based there were 90, 95 and 96 squadrons.

Between the two World Wars RAF Sealand's main role was the training of pilots and the No. 5 flying training squadron was based there between 1930-1936.

The No. 30 maintenance unit was formed at Sealand on 28 July 1939. It remained there until 1951 when the station was handed over to the American Air Force.

In 1957 the Americans handed the station back to the RAF and the No. 30 maintenance unit was reformed in 1959.

The Chester City Council has enjoyed a long and happy relationship with the base and the Mayor visits the station every year.

The Sheriffs Of Chester

It has been suggested that Chester was the first English town to the have a Sheriff. A Sheriff of Chester is mentioned in a charter granted by Ranulph I, Earl of Chester around 1121-29.

By the end of the 12thC.the Sheriffs of Chester appear frequently on deeds as witnesses. From around 1250 right up until the Municipal Corporations Act of 1835, two sheriffs were appointed to Chester every year.

Throughout the mediaeval period and indeed until the early 19thC., the sheriffs were responsible for many aspects of city government:-

They executed writs, assisted the courts, controlled the city gaol, collected fines and collected the tolls.

In 1974 Chester City became part of the new District of Chester. The Royal Letters Patent of May 1974 gave the district the status of a Borough, and allowed the Council to appoint 'offices of dignity'. In June 1974 it was resolved that a new sheriff should be elected. Chester has therefore had a sheriff for more than eight centuries!

Chester Mystery Cycle

Biblical scenes performed by Chester guilds.
Fall of Lucifer - The Tanners
Adam & Eve; Cain & Abel - The Drapers
Noah's Flood - The Waterleaders & Drawers of the Dee
Abraham, Lot & Melchysedec; Abraham & Isaac - The Barbers
Moses & The Law; Balaack & Balaam - The Cappers
The Annunciation & the Nativity - The Wrights
The Shepherds - The Painters
The Three Kings - The Vintners
Their Offerings - The Mercers
Slaughter of the Innocents - The Goldsmiths
Purification; Christ and the Doctors - The Blacksmiths
The Temptation; the Woman Taken in Adultery - The Butchers
The Blind Chelidonian; the Raising of Lazarus - The Glovers
Simon the Leper; Christ & the Money-Lenders; Judas' Plot - The Corvisors
The Last Supper; the Betrayal - The Bakers
The Trial and Flagellation - Fletchers, Bowyers, Coopers and Stringers
The Passion - The Ironmongers
The Harrowing of Hell - The Cooks
The Resurrection - The Skinners
Christ on the Road to Emmaeus; Doubting Thomas - The Saddlers
The Ascension - The Tailors
Pentecost - The Fishmongers
The Prophets of Antichrist - The Clothworkers
Antichrist - The Dyers
The Last Judgement - The Websters
 

The Earls of Chester

William the Conqueror gave England to his own trusted earls and barons after the Norman Conquest. A Fleming, Gherbod, was made Earl of Chester but because he had to return overseas almost immediately, William gave Chester to Hugh de Avranches, nicknamed Lupus (the Wolf) or the Fat in about 1070/1.

Earl Hugh was a powerful and ruthless man. According to the historian Orderic Vitalis, "he went about surrounded by an army instead of a household" and ruled Chester as an independent unit. His successors retained the Earldom until 1237 when it was annexed to the Crown.

In 1301 King Edward created his eldest son Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester since then it has been normal practice for the Sovereign's eldest son to receive both of these titles.

The Guilds of Chester

The original Guild Merchant was an association of all the merchants and craftsmen of a town, regulating trade and working conditions. The citizens of Chester were granted recognition of their Guild Merchant in 1200 but by the middle of the 13th century power had become concentrated in the hands of a few wealthy merchants and discontent arose with the system. This led to separate guilds for each craft being formed to protect the interests, trade and well being of each member.

A "closed shop" policy was adopted a craftsman had to be a member of a guild in order to carry on his business and outsiders could only trade in the city if they paid certain tolls or during the Fairs. Guildsmen had to be Freemen of the City and there were four ways to achieve this: by apprenticeship, by being born the son of a Freeman, by purchasing membership or by the gift of the Assembly.

The closely allied nature of some of the crafts could cause dissent if certain craftsmen attempted to carry out part of another's trade so from the 15th century a lot of the guilds with similar aspects amalgamated. These included the Shoemakers and Cordwainers, the Joiners, Carvers and Turners and also the Wrights, Slaters and Sawyers. Possibly the largest union was that of the Smiths, Cutlers, Pewterers, Founders, Cardmakers, Girdlers, Headmakers, Wiredrawers, Spurriers, Arrowheadmakers, Armourers and Bellfounders Company!

As well as participating in local government as council members, the guilds took responsibility for the welfare of the associates and their families. They took part in the Midsummer Fairs and the Mystery plays. They attended regular meetings at local inns or in the towers on the city walls and took their role seriously, exercising considerable influence over the trade of Chester until well into the 18th century.

By then however, the general decline of many of the ancient crafts and trades coupled with the foundation of new industrial towns had begun to lessen the power and function of the guilds. With more enlightened thinking there was also a tendency to ignore what was increasingly seen as outdated and restrictive sanctions on trade. Applications to be made Freemen dropped dramatically.

The guilds survived, albeit in a much less authoritative role and in the early 1960s took over Holy Trinity Church as their Guildhall. It became imperative that in order to increase membership and protect their future new admittance procedures be considered and in 1993 women were made Freemen for the first time.

The Freemen and Guilds still participate in civic occasions and the Midsummer Watch Parades. Freemen are admitted at regular Pentice Courts and the guild companies hold various meetings throughout the year

Admiral of the Dee

Admiralty powers to 'make attachments in the water of the Dee between Chester and Arnold's Eye [near Hoylake] for toll and other customs...and dues on imports, and also for offences committed in ships' were first mentioned in a charter from Edward the Black Prince, 9th March 1353/4. These powers pertaining to the Mayor of Chester who is ex-officio Admiral of the Dee, were confirmed in letters patent, dated 4th may 1528. these confirm that the lands, possessions and harbours within the liberties of Chester from 'Arnold's Eye to Eaton Weir] were exempt from the jurisdiction of the Admiral of England.

The admiralty rights of seaport towns were abolished under the Municipal Corporation Act, 1835, and only titular and honorific rights remained. Letters patent dated 15th may 1974, confirm the Mayor of Chester's 'right to exercise the customary prerogative [and] enjoy the title of Admiral of the Dee.'