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Towering above the whole city is Chester Cathedral, originally
an early 10th century church dedicated to St Werburgh, a Mercian
Princess whose shrine became a medieval pilgrimage. The composer
Handel first rehearsed The Messiah here at Chester Cathedral
in 1742 - a copy of his marked score remains on display. Chester
was originally built by Saxon canons in the name of Saint
Werburgh, a lady whose claim to sainthood was not harmed by
having three Saxon kings as relatives. The second church on
the site was built by Hugh "Lupus" (the Wolf), Earl
of Chester, in 1092, perhaps as expiation for his worldly
excesses. Anselm of Bec, later Archbishop of Canterbury, helped
found Hugh's monastic settlement at Chester. |
