1698 Tour: Cheshire and Lancashire

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Here is a great mer or standing water 2 miles Compass- great store of good fish; it belongs to one M^r Egerton: thence I went to Nantwitch 5 long miles. Nantwitch is a pretty large town and well built: here are y^e salt springs of w^ch they make salt and many salterns w^ch were a boyling y^e salt. This is a pretty Rich land; you must travell on a Causey; I went 3 miles on a Causey through much wood Its from Nantwitch to Chester town 14 long miles, y^e wayes being deep: its much on Enclosures and I passed by severall large pooles of waters, but what I wonder'd at was y^t tho' this shire is remarkable for a greate deale of greate Cheeses and Dairys I did not see more than 20 or 30 Cowes in a troope feeding, but on Enquiry find y^e Custome of y^e Country to joyn their milking together of a whole village and so make their great Cheeses. West Chester town lies in a bottom and runs a greate length and is pretty big- there are 10 Churches.

The Cathedrall is Large and Lofty, y^e quire well Carv'd, fine tapistry hangings at y^e alter, a good organ: The Bishops pallace is on the Right hand of it and the Doctors houses, all built of Stone. There is a new hall building w^ch is for y^e assize and it stands on great Stone pillars w^ch is to be y^e exchange w^ch will be very Convenient and handsome; the hall is round, its built of Bricke and Stone Coynes, there are Leads all round w^th battlements and in the middle is a tower, there are ballconies on y^e Side and windows quite round y^e Cupillow that shews y^e whole town round. There is another town hall-a long Lofty place, and another by the Side w^ch is Called the Councill Roome both for y^e Major and Aldermen to meete for y^e buissinesse of y^e Corporation. Y^e town is walled all aboute w^th battlem^ts and a walke all round pav'd w^th stone, I allmost Encompass'd y^e walls. Y^e streetes are of a greate breadth, but there is one thing takes much from their appeareing so and from their beauty, for on each side in most places they have made penthouses so broad set on pillars w^ch persons walk under Covert, and is made up and down steps under which are ware houses. Tho' a penthouse or pallasadoe be convenient for security from y^e sun or weather and were it no broader than for two to passe one by y^e other it would be well and No dissight to y^e grace of y^e Streetes, but this does darken y^e streetes and hinder y^e Light of y^e houses in many places to y^e streete ward below, indeed in some places were it only before y^e Chiefe persons houses it would be Convenient where its flatt and Even w^th the streetes. The town is mostly timber buildings, the trade and Concourse of people to it is Chiefly from the jntercourse it has with Ireland- most take this passage; and also y^e jntercourse w^th Wales w^ch is parted from it and England by y^e river Dee w^ch washes y^e Castle Walls in w^ch they keep their Stores, but nothing fine in it. The walls and towers seemes in good repaire. At the End of y^e town just by the Castle you Crosse over a very large and Long Bridge over the River Dee w^ch has the tyde Comes up much beyond the town; its 7 mile off y^t it falls into y^e sea, but its very broad below y^e town, when at high tyde is like a very broad sea: there they have a little Dock and build shipps of 200 tunn, I saw some on the stocks.

Cross this River by this Bridge Enters Fflintshire and so Crossed over y^e marches w^ch is hazardous to strangers, therefore M^r W^m Allen-w^ch was y^e major of Chester that time and gave me a very Civil treate being an acquaintance of my Brother S^r Edmund Harrison-so order'd his son and another Gentleman to Ride w^th me to Direct, to Harding w^ch was 5 miles. Just by that was a very fine new built house of Brick and in y^e Exact forme of y^e London Architecture w^ch was this M^r Majors house and good gardens.

Att Harding, where was my Relation Dr Percivalls wife who was Minister of y^t place: his parish was 8 miles in Extent and 2 lordships in it, and y^e ruines of two great Castles in it remaines-its good Rich Land here, much on Enclosures and woods.

In a tarresse walke in my Relations garden I could very plainly see Chester and y^e River Dee with all its Washes over the Marsh ground w^ch look'd very finely: here are sands w^ch makes it very difficult for strangers to passe w^th out a guide. From hence my Relation Carry'd me to Holly Well and pass'd thro' Flint town w^ch is the shire town 5 mile from harding; its a very Ragged place many villages in England are better, y^e houses all thatched and stone walls, but so decay'd that in many places Ready are to tumble down. There was a town hall such a one as it was; it was at a Session tyme wⁿ I was there w^ch shew'd it at its Prime. There is a Castle w^ch still remaines w^th its towers built of stone, its down to y^e water side: from thence to Holy well is 3 mile mostly by y^e water side w^ch is Reckon'd the sea-here I went just in sight of high Lake where were many shipps Rideing along that harbour.

S^t Winfreds Well is built over w^th stone on Pillars Like a Tryumphall arch or tower on y^e gates of a Church, there is a pavem^t of stone w^th in-round 3 sides of y^e well w^ch is joyn'd on y^e fourth side by a great arch of stone w^ch Lies over y^e water y^t runs of from y^e well; its many springs w^ch bubbles up very fast and Lookes Cleane in a Compass w^ch is 8 square walled in w^th stone. In y^e bottom w^ch you see as Clear as Chrystall are 9 stones Layd in an oval on w^ch are dropps of Red Coullour some almost quite Covering the top of y^e stone, w^ch is pretended to be y^e blood of this holy saint whose head was struck off here and so where her body Laid this spring burst forth and remaines till now a very Rapid Current, w^ch runs off from this well under a barre by w^ch there are stone stepps for y^e persons to descend w^ch will bathe themselves in the well, and so they walke along y^e Streame to the other End and then come out, but there is nothing to Shelter them but are Exposed to all the Company that are walking about y^e well and to y^e Little houses and part of y^e Streete w^ch runs along by it but y^e Religeuse are not to mind it, it seemes the saint they do honour to in this place must beare them out in all things. They tell of many lameness's and aches and distempers w^ch are Cured by it, its a Cold water and Cleare and runs off very quick so y^t it would be a pleasant refreshm^t in y^e sumer to washe ones self in it, but its shallow not up to y^e Waste so its not Easye to Dive and washe in, but I thinke I Could not have been persuaded to have gone in unless I might have had Curtains to have drawn about some part of it to have shelter'd from y^e Streete, for y^e wett garments are no Covering to y^e body; but there I saw abundance of y^e devout papists on their Knees all round a well. Poor people are deluded into an jgnorant blind zeale and to be pity'd by us y^t have the advantage of knowing better and ought to be better. There is some stones of a Reddish Coullour in y^e well s^d to be some of S^t Winifred's blood also, w^ch y^e poore people take out and bring to y^e strangers for Curiosity and Relicts, and also moss about y^e bancks full of great virtue for Every thing. But its a Certaine gaine to y^e poore people-every one gives them something for bringing them moss and y^e stones, but lest they should in length of tyme be quite gather'd up they take Care to replenish it dayly from some mossy hill and so stick it along y^e sides of y^e well-there is good streames runs from it and by meanes of steepe descent runs down and turns mills. They come also to drinke of y^e water w^ch they take up in y^e first square w^ch is walled round and where the springs Rise and they say its of wonder full operation. Y^e taste to me was but like good spring water w^ch w^th wine and sugar and Lemons might make a pleasant Draught after walking amongst those shady trees of w^ch there is a great many and some straight and tall like a grove but not very uniforme. From thence I went back to Harding w^ch is 8 very Long Miles. At Holly well they speake Welsh; the inhabitants go barefoote and bare leg'd-a nasty sort of people. Their meate is very small here, Mutton is noe bigger than Little Lamb, what of it there is was sweete; their wine good being Neare y^e Sea side, and are well provided with ffish-very good Salmon and Eeles and other ffish I had at Harding. This shire is improperly Called Fflintshire there being noe flints in all y^e Country. There are great Coale pitts of the Channell Coale thats Cloven huge great pieces: they have great wheeles that are turned w^th horses y^t draw up the water and so draine the Mines w^ch would Else be over flowed so as they Could not dig the Coale; they have also Engines y^t draw up their Coale in sort 0f baskets Like hand barrows w^ch they wind up like a Bucket in a well, for their mines are dug down through a sort of well and sometymes its pretty Low before they Come to y^e Coales; it makes y^e Road unsafe because of y^e Coale pitts and also from y^e Sloughs and quicksands, all here about being mostly near y^e bancks of y^e water. In this Country are quarrys of Stone, Copper and Iron Mines and salt hills, its a hilly place, very steep descents and great many very high hills, but I went not so farre as Pen Ma Mower but Cross'd y^e river Dee haveing first went two mile by these Coale mines (at least 10) in a place (?) its a thing w^ch holds neer two bushell that is their Basket they draw up w^ch is bought for 6 pence. I forded over y^e Dee when y^e tide was out all upon the sands at Least a mile, w^ch was as smooth as a Die being a few hours left of y^e flood. Y^e sands are here soe Loose y^t the tydes does move them from one place to another at Every flood, y^t the same place one used to ffoard a month or two before is not to be pass'd now, for as it brings the sands in heaps to one place so it leaves others in deep holes w^ch are Cover'd w^th water and Loose sand that would swallow up a horse or Carriages; so I had two Guides to Conduct me over. The Carriages w^ch are used to it and pass Continually at y^e Ebbs of water observes y^e drift of sands and so Escape y^e danger. It was at least a mile I went on y^e sands before I Came to y^e middle of y^e Channell w^ch was pretty deep and with such a Current or tyde w^ch was falling out to sea together w^th y^e wind, the horses feete could scarce stand against it, but it was but narrow just the deep part of the Channell and so soone over. When the tyde is fully out they frequently fford in many places w^ch they marke as the sands fall and Can go near 9 or 10 mile over y^e sands from Chester to Burton or to Flint town almost; but many persons that have known the ffoards well y^t have Come a year or halfe a year after, if they venture on their former knowledge have been overwhelm'd in the Ditches made by y^e sands w^ch is deep Enough to swallow up a Coach or waggon; but they Convey their Coales from Wales and any other things by waggon when the tyde is out to Chester and other parts. From Burton w^ch was on y^e side of England the shore, I went to y^e fferry 9 miles to the river Meresy another great River and a perfect sea for 20 mile or more. It Comes out of Lancashire from Warrington and both this and y^e Dee Empts themselves into y^e sea almost together a few Leagues from Leverpoole, w^ch poole is form'd by a poynt of land that runs almost round the Entrance from y^e sea, being narrow and hazardous to strangers to saile in in the winter. Y^e mouth of y^e river by reason of y^e Sands and Rocks is a gate to y^e River; this I ferry'd over and was an hour and halfe in y^e passage, its of great breadth and at low water is so deep and salt as y^e sea almost, tho' it does not Cast so green a hew on y^e water as y^e sea, but else the waves toss and y^e Rocks grate all round it and is as dangerous as y^e sea. Its a sort of Hoy that I ferried over and my horses-y^e boate would have held 100 people.

Leverpoole w^ch is in Lancashire is built just on the river Mersy mostly new built houses of brick and stone after the London fashion; y^e first original was a few fishermens houses and now is grown to a large fine town and but a parish and one Church, tho' there be 24 streetes in it. There is Indeed a little Chappell and there are a great many dessenters in the town. Its a very Rich trading town, y^e houses of Brick and stone built high and Even that a streete quite through Lookes very handsome-the streetes well pitched. There are abundance of persons you see very well dress'd and of good fashion, y^e streetes are faire and Long, its London in miniature as much as ever I saw anything. There is a very pretty Exchange stands on 8 pillars besides the Corners w^ch are Each Arche pillars all of stone and its railed in, over w^ch is a very handsome town hall-over all is a tower and Cupilow thats so high that from thence one has y^e whole view of y^e town and the Country round-in a Clear day you may see y^e Jsle of Man w^ch also was in view from out of Wales at Harding on the high tarrass walke in my Cos'n Percivalls garden.

Thence to Prescote 7 very long miles, but pretty good way, mostly Lanes; there I passed by Nosel the Earle of Darbys house w^ch Looked very nobly w^th many towers and balls on them; it stands amongst tall trees and Lookes like a pleasant grove all about it, its an old house runs a great Compass of ground. Y^e town of Prescote stands on a high hill, a very pretty neate Market town-a Large market place and broad streetes well pitch'd.

Thence to Wiggon, 7 long miles more mostly in Lanes and some hollow wayes and some pretty deep stony way so forced us upon y^e high Causey, but some of y^e way was good w^ch I went pretty fast and yet by reason of the tediousness of y^e miles for length I was 5 hours going that 14 mile; I could have gone 30 miles about London in y^e tyme. There was pretty much woods and Lanes through which I passed, and pass'd by a mer or Lake of water; there are many of these here about, but not going through Ormskerk. I avoided going by the famous Mer Call'd Martin mer that as y^e proverb sayes has parted many a man and his mare-indeed it being neare evening and not getting a Guide I was a little afraid to go that way it being very hazardous for Strangers to passe by it. Some part of y^t mer one M^r Ffleetewood has been at y^e Expence to draine so as to be able to use the ground for tillage, having by trenches and floodgates w^th banks shutt out y^e waters y^t still kept it a marsh and moorish ground, but it was a very great Charge; however it shews by industry and some Expence, if Gentlemen would set about it, Most of y^e waste ground thats now a ffenny Moor and Mostly water might be rendered usefull and in a few yeares answere y^e first great Charge on it. Wigons is another pretty Market town built of stone and brick. : here it is that the fine Channell Coales are in perfection-burns as light as a Candle-set the Coales together w^th some fire and it shall give a snap and burn up light. Of this Coale they make Saltcellars, Stand-dishes and many boxes and things w^ch are sent about for Curiositys and sold in London and are often offer'd in the Exchange in Company w^th white or black marble and most people deceived by them w^ch have not been in those Countrys and know it, but such persons discover it and will Call for a Candle to trye them whether marble or Coale: its very finely pollish'd and Lookes much like jett or Ebany wood for w^ch one might Easily take it when in boxes & &. I bought some of them for Curiosity sake. 2 mile off Wigon towards Warrington (w^ch was some of my way back againe but for y^e Curiosity's sake I did,) is the Burning well w^ch burns like brandy; its a little sorry hole in one of y^e grounds 100 yards from y^e Road that Comes from Warrington to Wiggon just by a hedge or banck, its full of dirt and mud almost but the water Continually bubbles up as if it were a pott boyling w^ch is the spring or severall springs in that place; Nevertheless I felt y^e water and it was a Cold Spring. Y^e man w^ch shewed it me, w^th a dish tooke out a good quantety of y^e water and threw away and then w^th a piece of Rush he lighted by a Candle y^t he brought in a lanthorne, he set y^e water in y^e well on fire and it burn'd blewish just like spirits and Continued a good while, but by reason of y^e great raines y^t ffell y^e night before y^e spring was weaker and had not thrown off the raine water, otherwise it used to flame all over y^e well a good height, now it burnt weaker; at last the wind blew out y^e mans Candle and he severall tymes lighted y^e bitt of Rush or splinter of wood by y^e flame y^t burnt in y^e well. This is a little unaccountable; I apprehend its a sort of an unctious matter in y^e Earth and soe through its veines the springs run w^ch Causes it so to burn, for I observ'd when they dug into y^e banche and opened the sort of Clay or mudd, it burnt fiercer and more from y^e well. returned againe to Wiggon two mile and thence to Preston and passed by S^r John Bradshaws house w^ch stood on y^e declineing of a hill in y^e midst of a fine grove of trees. Severall fine walkes and Rows of trees thereabout; just in the Road on the banck where on the hedge stood was Errected a high stone pillar Carv,d and a ball on y^e top with an inscription Cutt on it shewing the Cause of it, being the monument of an officer that in a fight just there, his horse takeing y^e hedge and Ditch on some distaste he tooke at y^e Gunns and smoake, flung out his sword out of y^e scabbard and flung his Master down on y^e poynt of it w^ch ran him through that he dyed and Lyes buried on y^e Spott.

Preston is reckon'd but 12 mile from Wiggon but they Exceed in Length by farre those y^t I thought long the day before from Leverpoole; its true to avoid the many Mers and marshy places it was a great Compass I tooke, and passed down and up very steep hills, and this way was good Gravell way; but passing by many very Large arches y^t were only single ones but as Large as two great gate wayes, and y^e water I went through y^t ran under them was so shallow notwithstanding these were Extreme high arches, I enquired the Meaneing and was inform'd that on great raines those brookes would be swelled to so great a height that unless those arches were so high, noe passing while it were so.

They are but narrow bridges for foote or horse and at such floods they are fforced in many places to boate it till they Come to those arches on the great Bridges w^ch are across their great Rivers; this happens sometymes on sudden great showers for a day or two in y^e summer, but y^e winter is often or mostly soe that there are deep waters so as not Easily Cross'd; but once in 3 or 4 years there is some of those very greate floods I mentioned before, that they are fforced to boate from bridge to bridge w^ch is little Enough then to secure them. I passed by at Least half a dozⁿ of these high single arches besides severall great stone Bridges of 4 or 6 arches which are very high also over their greatest rivers. Preston stands on a hill and is a very good market town; Satterday is their market w^ch day I was there and saw it was provided with all sorts of things-Leather, Corn Coales, butter, Cheese and fruite and garden things: there is a very spacious Market place and pretty Church and severall good houses. At y^e Entrance of y^e town was a very good house w^ch was a Lawyers all stone work 5 windows in y^e front and high built according to y^e Eastern building near London; the ascent to y^e house was 14 or 15 stone stepps Large and a handsome Court with open jron Pallasadoes in the gate, and on Each side, the whole breadth of y^e house, w^ch discover'd the gardens on Each side of the house, neately kept flowers and greens; there was also many steps up to y^e house from y^e Court-it was a Compleate building. There was 2 or 3 more such houses in y^e town and Indeed the Generallity of y^e buildings, Especially in 2 or 3 of y^e great streetes were very handsome, better than in most Country towns and y^e streetes spacious and well pitch'd. I was about 4 houres going this. twelve mile and Could have gone 20 in the tyme in most Countrys, nay by the people of these parts this twelve is as long and as much tyme taken up in going it as to go from thence to Lancaster w^ch is 20 mile, and I Can Confirme this by my own Experience for I went to Goscoyne w^ch is 10 miles and halfe way to Lancaster in two houres, where I baited, and here it was I was first presented w^th y^e Clap bread w^ch is much talked of made all of oates. I was surpris'd when the Cloth was Laid, they brought a great Basket such as one uses to undress Children with and set it on the table full of thin waffers as big as Pancakes and drye that they Easily breake into shivers, but Coming to dinner found it to be y^e only thing I must Eate for bread. Y^e taste of oate bread is pleasant enough and where its well made is very acceptable, but for y^e most part its scarce baked and full of drye flour on y^e outside. Y^e description of how its made ought to Come in here but I Reserve it to y^e place I saw it made at the best way. As I Come to this place which was much over downs or a Race ground I Came along by some of y^e old Picts walls, y^e ruines of which here and there remaines in many parts of y^e Country. Gascoyn is a little market town-one Church in it w^ch is a mile off from y^e town, and y^e parish is 8 miles long, which discourag'd me in staying there being Satterday night and so pressed on. to Lancaster.

I percieve most of y^e parishes are a great tract of Land and very Large and also beneficial, for all over Lancaster-shire the revenues of y^e parsonages are Considerable 2 and 300^? 500 and 800 a piece, y^e parson at Liverpool has 1100 a yeare, and its frequent Everywhere 3 or 400^? . Thence to Lancaster town 10 mile more which I Easily Reached in 2 hours and a halfe or 3 hours; I passed through abundance of villages almost at y^e End of Every mile, mostly all along Lanes being an Enclosed Country. They have one good thing in most parts of this principality, or County palatine its rather Call'd, that at all Cross wayes there are posts w^th hands pointing to each road w^th y^e names of y^e great town or market towns that it Leads to, w^ch does make up for y^e Length of y^e miles y^t strangers may not Loose their Road and have it to goe back againe. You have a great divertion on this road haveing a pleasing prospect of y^e Countrys a great distance round, and see it full of jnclosures and some woods, three miles off y^e town you see it very plaine and y^e sea, Even y^e main ocean; in one place an arm of it Comes up w^th in 2 mile of y^e town. Y^e River Liene runs by the town and so into y^e sea. Y^e situation of Lancaster town is very good, y^e Church neately built of stone, y^e Castle w^ch is just by, both on a very great ascent from y^e Rest of y^e town and so is in open view, y^e town and River Lying Round it beneath. On y^e Castle tower walking quite round by y^e battlements I saw y^e whole town and river at a view, w^ch runs almost quite round and returns againe by y^e town, and saw y^e sea beyond and y^e great high hills beyond y^t part of y^e sea, w^ch are in Wales, and also into Westmoreland to the great hills there Called ffurness ffells or hills, being a string of vast high hills together: also into Cumberland to y^e great hill Called Black Comb hill whence they digg their black Lead and no where Else; but they open y^e mine but once in Severall yeares. I also saw into Yorkshire,-there is Lead, Copper, gold and silver in some of those hills and marble and Christall also.

Lancaster town is old and much decay'd: there has been a monastery, the walls of part of it remaine and some of y^e Carv'd stones and ffigures; there is in it a good garden and a pond in it w^th a little jsland on w^ch an apple tree grows- a Jenitin; and Strawberys all round its Rootes and y^e banks of the Little jsle. There are 2 pretty wells and a vault that Leads a great way under ground up as farre as y^e Castle, w^ch is a good distance. In the River there are great weres or falls of water made for Salmon ffishing, where they hang their nets and Catch great quantety's of ffish, w^ch is neare the bridge. The town seemes not to be much in trade as some others, but the great store of fish makes them Live plentifully as also the great plenty of all provisions. The streets are some of them well pitch'd and of a good size; when I came into the town the stones were so slippery Crossing some Channells that my horse was quite down on his nose, but did at length recover himself, and so I was not thrown off or jnjured w^ch I desire to bless God for, as for the many preservations I mett with. I Cannot say the town seemes a lazy town and there are trades of all sorts, there is a Large meeteing house, but their minister was but a mean preacher; there are 2 Churches in the town which are pretty near Each other.

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