Monument record 2292 - New Haven or Old Quay

<1> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1928, The Chester Companies and the Old Quay (Article in Journal). SCH8678.

In 1547 the Lords of the Council governing the realm for King Edward VI were begged to give aid towards completing the haven. In reply they voted to the uses of the haven for the next seven years the £40 which Henry VIII had conferred to the new erected college in Chester. Three years later the citizens of Chester were again appealing for royal aid towards the cost of building. By the mid to late sixteenth century money was being raised for the ‘New Haven’ in Chester by periodic levies and by the allocation of revenues from local taxes. The ‘New Haven’ appears to have been never completed due to a lack of funds and the silting of the estuary, but still managed to operate until the mid-seventeenth century. Possibly the quay at 'The Brick House' depicted on Andrew Yarrington's 'River Dee: Proposed Improvement' illustration dated 1677.

<2> Woodward, DM, 1970, The Trade of Elizabethan Chester (Book). SCH3247.

The New Haven, now Old Quay, was first mentioned 1541. Building began in reign of Henry VIII but it was probably never completed. It was nearly finished by 1569, though there are frequent references to state of decay throughout Elizabeth's reign.

<3> Cheshire County Council, 1974, County Treasures Record, 3.IA (Y) (Index). SCH1000.

Silted up site of 'Newe Haven' at 'Lightfotes Poole' 1547.

<4> British Coal Corporation, 1946-1997, British Coal Corporation Map, AB/1/252 (Maps and Plans). SCH939.

<5> Ashmore, O, 1982, The Industrial Archaeology of North West England, p.50 (Book). SCH3181.

built by the City of Chester in the mid sixteenth century and in use until the late seventeenth century. Also known as Neston Quay.

<6> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Miles LJ, 1990 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

Nothing remains, but best evidence is on British Coal map 14931.

<7> Place G, 1994, The Rise and Fall of Parkgate (Book). SCH4354.

<8> Ellesmere Port and Neston Borough Council, 2007, Ellesmere Port and Neston Borough Council Local List of Historic Buildings, LL37 (Index). SCH5437.

A quay at Neston was built in the sixteenth century by Chester merchants at great costs and operated until the eighteenth century as a deep-water harbour for the City. According to local tradition the remains of the quay were removed in 1799 to construct the sea wall at Parkgate.

Advice from local historian indicates that the quay that is currently signposted as the Old Quay was built from massive sandstone blocks in the mid nineteenth by Mr Henry Melling, a resident of the now demolished property called Quay House, to moor his yacht.

<9> Ordnance Survey, 1896-1898, Ordnance Survey First Revision County Series (Epoch 2) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ2876, 1898 (Maps and Plans). SCH3848.

The later quay is clearly visible.