THE FEATHERS HOTEL

before 1863. This hotel was a well known city hostelry right up to the time of its demolition in June 1863. It stood on the site of the great four storey block which now marks the entrance in Bridge Street to St. Michael's arcade. At the time this photograph was taken, however, Chester was obviously a poor market town with little sign of prosperity (compare this picture with that of the top corner of Bridge Street at the Cross in 1860). The streets were cobbled and so were the pavements. Hemingway in 1831 described the hotel as 'an inn of very superior character . With this house is connected an extensive coaching establishment from whence conveyances may be had to every part of the Kingdom. .. Nearby is a narrow and inconvenient passage called Feathers Lane at the top of which are the stabling and coach houses of the time'. He goes on to complain of the unseemliness and danger of the entrance to the street, says sarcastically that as it belongs of right to the proprietor of the Feathers that 'it is too much to expect it will be relinquished for the public convenience' and asks why the police commissioners have not arranged to have the entrance blocked up 'as the back part of the premises may easily be approached from Pepper Street'. In fact, the back has been blocked off and the front remains open, to this days.

Victorian & Edwardian Chester By John Tomlinson A Deesider publication