Handbridge
Encyclopedia
Handbridge is a district of Chester
, England
on the south bank of the River Dee
. A settlement has existed on the site since the Iron age
, but the site saw major expansion during the collapse of the Roman occupation of Britain, as the city grew too large for its walls. The site was originally mainly a quarry for the abundant red sandstone
that much Chester is built from, but in later years became a centre for salmon
fishing in the Dee.
The area runs continuously into Queens Park
. Within Handbridge there is a primary school, Overleigh St Mary's, and two secondary schools: Chester Catholic High School
and Queens Park High School
. There is also a college, West Cheshire College.
Although there has been some activity on the site since the Iron Age, the first settlement on the site was built around 74 CE shortly after the foundation of the fort at Deva, now the Chester city centre. The site was used as a quarry; Handbridge is built on a large sandstone outcrop, material from which was used to construct the city walls and buildings, although the quarry ceased production at the end of the fourth century CE. The quarry was also the site of a small shrine to the goddess Minerva
which is still visible in what is known as Edgar's Field. The shrine is protected as a Grade I isted building but has suffered from weathering.
raiders, leading one commentator to describe it as "an abandoned city on The Wirral
". Nevertheless, by the time of the Domesday Book
, the site had grown large enough to be divided into three manors
: Overleigh, Netherleigh and Royal Handbridge. The book also tells of the constant repairs that had to be made to the river crossing there, the first written record of what would eventually become known as the Old Dee Bridge.
The site was regularly pillaged by the Welsh
of what is now the neighbouring county of Flintshire
, who frequently burnt down the suburb, leading to the Welsh name for Handbridge, Treboeth, meaning "burnt town".
By the Old Dee Bridge is a large field known as Edgar's field; this is one of a few sites that may have been the royal palace
of Edgar of England
. There is no archaeological evidence of this however. Legend tells that, in order to pledge an oath to him, six lesser kings rowed him up the Dee to his palace, where they pledged allegiance to the king "on both land and sea".
During the mediaeval period, multiple river crossings were built on the site of the bridge noted in the Domesday Book
to replace others lost to flooding; the current Old Dee Bridge dates from 1353, but at least four other bridges existed on the site beforehand. The bridge became a choke point
in Welsh invasions, leading to both ends of the bridge being fitted with sentry posts. Although the bridge formed the only crossing at that point, residents were reluctant to repair the bridge, leading Richard II of England
to pay for the crossing to be restored in 1374 "for consideration that as many have been drowned in the water of the Dee since the bridge has been destroyed and broken", being rebuilt with large towers and a drawbridge to further deter Welsh raids.
Chester Weir
across the river was built in 1093, under the orders of Hugh Lupus, to provide power to water powered mills along the banks of the river, and to improve the navigability of the river, which was still a major trade route at the time. The mills ran a legally enforced monopoly
, with all Cestrians being forced to have their corn ground at these mills. The millers were reputed to be lazy and greedy, taking many times what they should in tithes. The song "Miller of Dee
" was written about these millers, which led to "Miller of the Dee" becoming an insult in Mediaeval culture, meaning a thief or a cheat.
, Chester was one of the last Royalist
strongholds, and as such was heavily besieged. Handbridge was burnt once again and the bridge heavily damaged in order to impede the progress of the Roundhead
armies. This forced the Parliamentarians to cross the river at a ford ten miles (16 km) upstream, leading to the Battle of Rowton Heath
, at which the Royalists lost and Chester became invested.
many of the corn mills which lined the river closed down, to be replaced with hydroelectric power stations to provide electricity to the growing city. However, the suburb itself was considered a poor area, with one contemporary commentator, John Hemingway, describing the area as "almost exclusively inhabited by the lower orders". The population were primarily industrial workers who worked in the many factories that surrounded Chester, including several tobacco
works on the Dee banks, and the neighbouring area of Saltney
. However, many of the larger properties in the east of Handbridge, towards Queens Park
, were middle
and upper class
residents who desired attractive riverside properties.
In the extreme west of Handbridge, the Grosvenor Bridge
, connecting the city to the main roads to Wales, was built by Thomas Harrison
and opened by Queen Victoria in November 1833, as part of a larger trade route to Holyhead
and the Irish
ports. At 200 feet (61 m) long and 60 feet (18.3 m) tall, it was the largest single span bridge in the world for 30 years until 1864.
show Demolition
. On the riverside is a small cottage named "Nowhere", believed to have originally been a secret tavern. However, during a 1963 gig in Chester by The Beatles
, John Lennon
heard about the house and was intrigued by the name, with the song "Nowhere Man" being inspired by this cottage .
unitary authority
area; prior to that it was within both Chester City Council and Cheshire County Council
boundaries.
Handbridge forms part of the Overleigh Cheshire West and Chester
division, which is represented by three councillors:
The first elections to the council were held on 1 May 2008, with the council acting as a shadow council until the abolition of the Chester City Council and Cheshire County Council authorities on 1 April 2009. The wards of the authority are identical to the previous county council electoral divisions.
Handbridge and Queens Park
were formerly a single Chester City Council ward, Handbridge & St Mary's.
of the Conservative Party
, who won the seat back from Labour in the 2010 General Election.
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on the south bank of the River Dee
River Dee, Wales
The River Dee is a long river in the United Kingdom. It travels through Wales and England and also forms part of the border between the two countries....
. A settlement has existed on the site since the Iron age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
, but the site saw major expansion during the collapse of the Roman occupation of Britain, as the city grew too large for its walls. The site was originally mainly a quarry for the abundant red sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
that much Chester is built from, but in later years became a centre for salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
fishing in the Dee.
The area runs continuously into Queens Park
Queens Park, Cheshire
Queens Park is a suburb of Chester. It is in the south of the city, just east of Handbridge. It includes a secondary school, Queens Park High School and also has a pedestrian suspension bridge link with the main city.-British Parliament:...
. Within Handbridge there is a primary school, Overleigh St Mary's, and two secondary schools: Chester Catholic High School
Chester Catholic High School
Chester Catholic High School or CHS but officially called The Catholic High School, Chester is a Roman Catholic secondary school on the outskirts of Handbridge, Chester, England.- Student population :...
and Queens Park High School
Queens Park High School
Queen's Park High School or QPHS is a secondary school in Queens Park, Chester, in the United Kingdom. It is a Visual Arts College. The school symbol is the heraldic lion, and the school uniform consists of a blue jumper with a small white lion on the left hand side, and black or blue...
. There is also a college, West Cheshire College.
Roman era
Minerva
Minerva was the Roman goddess whom Romans from the 2nd century BC onwards equated with the Greek goddess Athena. She was the virgin goddess of poetry, medicine, wisdom, commerce, weaving, crafts, magic...
which is still visible in what is known as Edgar's Field. The shrine is protected as a Grade I isted building but has suffered from weathering.
Dark Ages
After the Romans left Britain, the city fell into disrepair. Little is known of Handbridge from this time, as Chester was repeatedly attacked by VikingViking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
raiders, leading one commentator to describe it as "an abandoned city on The Wirral
Wirral Peninsula
Wirral or the Wirral is a peninsula in North West England. It is bounded by three bodies of water: to the west by the River Dee, forming a boundary with Wales, to the east by the River Mersey and to the north by the Irish Sea. Both terms "Wirral" and "the Wirral" are used locally , although the...
". Nevertheless, by the time of the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
, the site had grown large enough to be divided into three manors
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
: Overleigh, Netherleigh and Royal Handbridge. The book also tells of the constant repairs that had to be made to the river crossing there, the first written record of what would eventually become known as the Old Dee Bridge.
The site was regularly pillaged by the Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
of what is now the neighbouring county of Flintshire
Flintshire
Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...
, who frequently burnt down the suburb, leading to the Welsh name for Handbridge, Treboeth, meaning "burnt town".
By the Old Dee Bridge is a large field known as Edgar's field; this is one of a few sites that may have been the royal palace
Palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
of Edgar of England
Edgar of England
Edgar the Peaceful, or Edgar I , also called the Peaceable, was a king of England . Edgar was the younger son of Edmund I of England.-Accession:...
. There is no archaeological evidence of this however. Legend tells that, in order to pledge an oath to him, six lesser kings rowed him up the Dee to his palace, where they pledged allegiance to the king "on both land and sea".
Middle Ages
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
to replace others lost to flooding; the current Old Dee Bridge dates from 1353, but at least four other bridges existed on the site beforehand. The bridge became a choke point
Choke point
In military strategy, a choke point is a geographical feature on land such as a valley, defile or a bridge, or at sea such as a strait which an armed force is forced to pass, sometimes on a substantially narrower front, and therefore greatly decreasing its combat power, in order to reach its...
in Welsh invasions, leading to both ends of the bridge being fitted with sentry posts. Although the bridge formed the only crossing at that point, residents were reluctant to repair the bridge, leading Richard II of England
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
to pay for the crossing to be restored in 1374 "for consideration that as many have been drowned in the water of the Dee since the bridge has been destroyed and broken", being rebuilt with large towers and a drawbridge to further deter Welsh raids.
Chester Weir
Chester Weir is a weir which crosses the River Dee at Chester, Cheshire, England, slightly upstream from the Old Dee Bridge . The weir and the associated salmon leap have been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building....
across the river was built in 1093, under the orders of Hugh Lupus, to provide power to water powered mills along the banks of the river, and to improve the navigability of the river, which was still a major trade route at the time. The mills ran a legally enforced monopoly
Monopoly
A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
, with all Cestrians being forced to have their corn ground at these mills. The millers were reputed to be lazy and greedy, taking many times what they should in tithes. The song "Miller of Dee
Miller of Dee
Miller of Dee is a traditional folk song from the Chester area in the north-west of England. It is often titled "The Miller of the Dee".The song was originally part of Isaac Bickerstaffe's play, "Love in a village"...
" was written about these millers, which led to "Miller of the Dee" becoming an insult in Mediaeval culture, meaning a thief or a cheat.
English Civil War
During the English Civil WarEnglish Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, Chester was one of the last Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
strongholds, and as such was heavily besieged. Handbridge was burnt once again and the bridge heavily damaged in order to impede the progress of the Roundhead
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
armies. This forced the Parliamentarians to cross the river at a ford ten miles (16 km) upstream, leading to the Battle of Rowton Heath
Battle of Rowton Heath
The Battle of Rowton Heath occurred on 24 September 1645 during the English Civil War between the Parliamentarians, commanded by Sydnam Poyntz, and the Royalists under the personal command of King Charles I...
, at which the Royalists lost and Chester became invested.
Victorian era
During the Victorian eraVictorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
many of the corn mills which lined the river closed down, to be replaced with hydroelectric power stations to provide electricity to the growing city. However, the suburb itself was considered a poor area, with one contemporary commentator, John Hemingway, describing the area as "almost exclusively inhabited by the lower orders". The population were primarily industrial workers who worked in the many factories that surrounded Chester, including several tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
works on the Dee banks, and the neighbouring area of Saltney
Saltney
Saltney is a small town in Flintshire, Wales. It is immediately to the west of the border with Cheshire in England and is contiguous with the Chester urban area.The name is derived from the former salt marshes on which it is built, lying on the River Dee...
. However, many of the larger properties in the east of Handbridge, towards Queens Park
Queens Park, Cheshire
Queens Park is a suburb of Chester. It is in the south of the city, just east of Handbridge. It includes a secondary school, Queens Park High School and also has a pedestrian suspension bridge link with the main city.-British Parliament:...
, were middle
Middle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
and upper class
Upper class
In social science, the "upper class" is the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. Members of an upper class may have great power over the allocation of resources and governmental policy in their area.- Historical meaning :...
residents who desired attractive riverside properties.
In the extreme west of Handbridge, the Grosvenor Bridge
Grosvenor Bridge (Chester)
The Grosvenor Bridge is a single-span arch road bridge constructed from stone. It crosses the River Dee at Chester in England. The bridge is located on the A483 Grosvenor Road . Views upriver from the bridge include Chester Castle and Handbridge. The view downstream from the bridge encompasses the...
, connecting the city to the main roads to Wales, was built by Thomas Harrison
Thomas Harrison (architect)
Thomas Harrison was an English architect and engineer. He built a number of bridges, including Grosvenor Bridge in Chester. He also rebuilt parts of Chester and Lancaster castles...
and opened by Queen Victoria in November 1833, as part of a larger trade route to Holyhead
Holyhead
Holyhead is the largest town in the county of Anglesey in the North Wales. It is also a major port adjacent to the Irish Sea serving Ireland....
and the Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
ports. At 200 feet (61 m) long and 60 feet (18.3 m) tall, it was the largest single span bridge in the world for 30 years until 1864.
Today
Handbridge continued to grow in the 20th century with several large schools and a college being built to serve the population of Handbridge and Queen's Park, which both underwent major expansion. Among the buildings built were the "Salmon Leap" flats, designed in 1976 by Gilling Dod and Partners, which are now considered an eyesore and were featured on the Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
show Demolition
Demolition (TV series)
Demolition is a 2005 television series from Channel 4, which can be seen as being the reverse of the BBC's 2003 series Restoration. The public were encouraged to vote for buildings which they want demolished and replaced, with 12 buildings making The Dirty Dozen.The show was shown on four days,...
. On the riverside is a small cottage named "Nowhere", believed to have originally been a secret tavern. However, during a 1963 gig in Chester by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
heard about the house and was intrigued by the name, with the song "Nowhere Man" being inspired by this cottage .
Cheshire West and Chester
Since 1 April 2009 Handbridge is within the new Cheshire West and ChesterCheshire West and Chester
Cheshire West and Chester is a unitary authority area with borough status, in the ceremonial county of Cheshire. It was established in April 2009 as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England, by virtue of an order under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health...
unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
area; prior to that it was within both Chester City Council and Cheshire County Council
Cheshire County Council
Cheshire County Council was a County Council, of the second highest level of United Kingdom Government for the residents of Cheshire. Founded in 1889, it ceased to exist on 1 April 2009, when it and the district councils in Cheshire were replaced by two unitary authorities; Cheshire West and...
boundaries.
Handbridge forms part of the Overleigh Cheshire West and Chester
Cheshire West and Chester
Cheshire West and Chester is a unitary authority area with borough status, in the ceremonial county of Cheshire. It was established in April 2009 as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England, by virtue of an order under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health...
division, which is represented by three councillors:
- Razia Daniels (ConservativeConservative Party (UK)The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
) - Arthur Harada (ConservativeConservative Party (UK)The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
) - Richard Short (ConservativeConservative Party (UK)The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
)
The first elections to the council were held on 1 May 2008, with the council acting as a shadow council until the abolition of the Chester City Council and Cheshire County Council authorities on 1 April 2009. The wards of the authority are identical to the previous county council electoral divisions.
Handbridge and Queens Park
Queens Park, Cheshire
Queens Park is a suburb of Chester. It is in the south of the city, just east of Handbridge. It includes a secondary school, Queens Park High School and also has a pedestrian suspension bridge link with the main city.-British Parliament:...
were formerly a single Chester City Council ward, Handbridge & St Mary's.
United Kingdom Parliament
Handbridge is in the City of Chester parliamentary constituency and is represented by Stephen MosleyStephen Mosley
Stephen James Mosley is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for the City of Chester since winning the seat at the 2010 general election.-Education:...
of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, who won the seat back from Labour in the 2010 General Election.