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GLOVERSTONE |
We have seen that the Cathedral precincts and the Dean and Chapter had certain exclusive rights that the monasteries enclosed themselves within stone walls, raising their supplies of food from their own farms or granges while fish and shell - fish came from Hilbre Island where the Benedictines had a cell ; they imported direct from Spain or France .
The various trades also united for mutual protection and the exclusion of strangers, from a very early period, certainly anterior to the existence of the office of Mayor , the city contained certain guilds, or incorporated companies. When the various communities united for their common benefit . It enjoyed by prescription divers privileges, having a guild mercatory, analogous to a modern corporation, so that no person, who was not of that society could exercise any trade, or carry on any commerce within its precincts . Such was the state in which the Norman's found it, and these immunities, as we have seen were confirmed by the earls under their seals . Two overseers, selected out of the most respectable citizens, were appointed to maintain the rights of the guild . They received all the customs paid by strangers, unless at the fairs .
In reviewing the reign of the Norman Earls , one is struck with two things - their severity and yet the clemency which characterised much of their doings . In this respect the Earls reflected the character of William the first , who , man of war he was , yet at times showed strange touches of humanity far in advance of his age . He formally abolished the punishment of death , and put an end to the slave trade at Bristol . To the sternness of the Norman rule I need not allude in detail. The times were unsettled , there were Englishmen and Norman's at hand, and the Welsh close by . There were plots and counterplots, raids and feuds on all sides , in consequence of which many individuals were compromised and had to fly. For all such persons the Normans provided three places of sanctuary in the palatinate - one near Hoole, another at Middlewich, and one near the Welsh border at Fardon - where they may enjoy freedom from arrest. The only conditions to be observed were that they must be well disposed to the Earl , and were not to build houses but to live in booths or tents .
My reason for alluding to these asylums, as they were called , is that the same purpose which dictated their formation influenced the Earls in allowing the precincts or " Liberties " of the Castle to be used as another refuge for local delinquents; or others who might have given offence to the constable, or more likely the Senesschal, who had the trade concerns under his care. Or it may have been for strangers, who were regarded as outsiders, and who here found a home not conceded in the city . Hoole Heath offered a refuge for political offenders, and I fear criminals; while Gloverstone was more for trade refugees This footing once obtained was further consolidated by time, until it is stipulated by the charter of Henry VII that the castle and liberty of Gloverstone are to be exempt from all control or jurisdiction of the city .
During the reign of the Norman Earls there was no dispute of the ownership, the power that ruled in the castle ruled in the controlled the city . The Earl placed a constable in charge of the city who was more of a soldier than anything else .The precise boundaries of Gloverstone at any period of its history are likely to remain a matter of uncertainty. So far as we know there are no details of them on record . Indeed, the circumstances which gave rise to the township are so peculiar that we may well doubt whether such were ever in existence. During the reign of the Norman and succeeding Earls it could have no separate existence.
The boundary to this ground northward was the southern wall of the city at White Friars . The narrow entrance to the Castle and St. Mary 's Lane, leading to the church formed an acute angle at the point of which was the Glover - Stone ; On its east side, and south side, so far as I can gather, the township extended no further east than this point, on the west side it ran in a direct line to the Nuns' Gardens. We have now defined the open space between the castle and the walls and the river, over which the city is to have no jurisdiction . Its subsequent history extending over 700 years. The name of Glover - stone was derived from the purpose it served . It was used by the non freemen glovers who lived hereabouts, to scrape and otherwise prepare the skins for their trade . The washing was conveniently performed in the river, easily approached by an opening in the wall at the foot of St. Mary 's Hill .
1625, Dec 1 Exchequer Bill Proceeding .
In answer to the interrogatories addressed to the witnesses on behalf of Sir
Gilbert Ireland, Knight , James Boyd, and David Hannell, complaints, against Richard Leicester and John Leech gent
defendents : it was stated by John Edwards of Cheavely, gent aged 62 years .
1 That several messuages, gardens
, and backsides, near the gate of the castle of Chester had been comonly known by the name of the Gloverstone,
some of which dwelling houses are now in the houldings of Wm. Halton , Inhoulder Rob Cartwright, Glover and Rd.
Spenlocke .
2 That for the space of forty
years and upwards they were reputed to be within the county of Chester , and Hundred of Broxton , and not any part
of the City of Chester .
3 That a grey stone of marble
standing in the street near unto the messuage now in the occupation of Rob Cartwright was one meere and boundary
of the said messuages and lands from the liberties and precincts of the City of Chester .
4 That the Shirehall or Common
Hall for pleas for the County of Chester wherein the Assizes and Sessions for the County were usually kepte, did
within the tyme of his remberance stand near the castle ditch on the left hand side of the way leading from the
castle lane to the castle , and upon part of the lands now the reputed inheritance of the complainants .
This Hall was removed forty or fifty years ago .
6 That the servants or deputy
of the sheriffs of the County of Chester, or the Constable of the Castle, have from time to time used to deliver
the prisoners that were condemned to suffer death unto the sheriffs of the city at the said stone or meere, and
that there the sheriffs of the citty have receyved them and thence brought them to execution .
He hath often tymes seene the sheriffes of the said citty of Chester departe with theire white staves soe soon
as they have past Glovers ' Stoune , when they had occasion to goe forth of the city into the castle .
II. Wm . Crosse, of Castle Lane, glover, 89 years , gave evidence as above, and added, " I have seen the bakers trouble the country people that offer to sell bread there; cutlers and naylors , and other tradesmen not freemen, have used to sell their wares within the precincts of the Glover stone. So the same with cloth and stockings - sadlers, butchers, pedlers, taylors . For seventy years that the sheriffes of the City have stayed on that side of the meere stone which : is towards the Castle lane, and that there att the said meere stone the sheriffes have receyved the condemned . But he does not remember any maior or sheriffes putt downe his or their sword or staff of authority at the Glovers' Stone .
( Gloversone , Chester G. W. Shrubsole, F. G. S. Chester Archaeological Society & Historic Society Chester C. C. Library )
* 1758 10th April Also at the
same assembly it was ordered that affidavit's shall be prepared and that an Information in the Kings Bench shall
be allowed for against Mrs. Daffy and Mrs. Elizabeth Brereton for instituting a Public Market at Gloverstone and
the same shall be solicited by Mr. Thomas Brock the Town Clerk
( Gloverstone the castle and the immediate area around it, were exempt from the jurisdiction of the City authorities by the great Charter of 1506 ) Mrs. Daffy was to Die before this case was to be carried any further
