Bristol as our ancestors saw it, c.1853. We will therefore take the last corner of the centre, and commence our route from Wine Street, through Dolphin Street, and Peter Street, where there is a fine OLD CHURCH, dedicated to that APOSTLE, which is confidently stated to have been founded before the Norman Conquest; but very little, however, is known of its history. The tower is a low, massive, and clumsy building, in the Norman style of architecture, and was probably erected in the twelfth century. In the churchyard were deposited the remains of the poet Savage, equally celebrated for his poetical genius, his indiscretion, and distresses. Behind the church is ST. PETER'S HOSPITAL, an interesting specimen of ancient architecture. It was used in 1695 as a mint for coining money; a name by which it is even now generally designated. It was erected into the City Hospital in 1697; and with a Governor, Deputy Governor, Guardians, Physicians, Surgeons, Solicitors, Chaplain, and other inferior Officers, it is continued to the present time as the poor house for the whole City. We now cross over to the corner house of Castle Street, formerly the boundary to the Castle, before Castle Street was built in 1656, and walk down the narrow thoroughfare into Castle Green, passing the CAT AND WHEEL PUBLIC HOUSE at the corner, originally, " ST. KATHERINE-WHEEL,"* so called probably because Robert, eldest son of Maurice de Berkeley, was the first founder of the Hospital of St. Katherine, in Bedminster, when constable of Bristol Castle in 1190. Moving onwards we pass CASTLE GREEN INDEPENDENT CHAPEL, erected in a quadrangular form in 1815, during the ministry of the Rev. WM. THORPE, who died in 1833. " He was an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures." -- Josephine Jeremiah http://www.ianandjo.dsl.pipex.com