John Webb Map
Overview
John Webb's map of 1833 shows Chester on the eve of its more serious involvement in the Industrial Revolution with the coming of the railways. In the late 18th and early 19th century Chester was not a propitious place in which to establish new industries. It was not on a coalfield, and water power was restricted to the weir on the Dee, which was affected by the tide. The hinterland was mainly rural and was poorly served by transport. There seems also to have been a lack of enterprise on the part of Cestrians, and the residual power of the city guilds may have restrained development. It was observed in 1814 that:
- "corporate privileges are not often calculated to foster commerce, and in this city, although we mark the infancy of several manufactures, few arrive at maturity" (Wardle and Bentham's Commercial Guide, 1814).
The influence of the guilds did not ebb as quickly as in other towns, due mainly to their subvention by the Owen Jones charity. Their final decay came about in part because of restrictions on membership imposed in order to maximize existing members' benefits from the charity, but their authority was destroyed finally in 1825 when an unsuccessful case was brought against a tanner for trading when not a freeman. George Lee Fenwick commented:
- "..for a long time [Chester] lay almost motionless upon the great tidal wave of progress which was sweeping past, but at length a movement became apparent, and even ancient Chester.. ..could no longer withstand the onward rush of events. The turning point dates from the accession of Queen Victoria." (A History of the Ancient City of Chester, 1896)
Features
- The development of Newtown has started. Many consider this a "railway" development, but the railway has not yet arrived.
- Skinners Lane (see: Tanning) has mostly gone and the wall of the County Gaol at Chester Castle has been extended to the edge of the River;
- The Grosvenor Bridge has been built. There are two Wrexham Roads as the bridge was originally intended to link with the old one, but was moved to the west to secure more solid foundations;
- There are two Dee Lanes. Souters Lane was named Dee Lane up to roughly this time;
- The original gasworks in Cuppin Street has come into existence. Nearby, just off Commonhall Street is Chester's second Leadworks which had its own Shot-Tower.
Sources and Links
A gallery of Old Maps of Chester
Braun and Hogenberg (1581)
Smith Map (c.1588)
John Speed (c.1610)
Hollar's Map (1660's)
Lavaux Map (1745)
Hunter Map (1789)
Mutlow and StockdaIes Map (1795)
Coles Map (c.1804)
John Webb Map (1833)
Hugh Roberts (1858)
1923 map of Chester
