Listed Building: FOREST HOUSE (1375872)

CHESTER CITY (EM) SJ4066 1932-1/6/189 LOVE STREET (East side) Forest House 10/01/72 II Part of a substantial town house, now night club. Late C18, altered. Red-brown brick and ashlar; grey slate roof. EXTERIOR: the probably former central block, to the rear from Love Street, has basement and 3 tall storeys. The present front, formerly the right wing when the house faced an oval forecourt to Foregate Street, is of 3 lower storeys of 3 bays. The face to Love Street has damaged central doorway of stone, now roughcast with pedimented panel above round-arched case with hollow chamfered rusticated jambs, voussoirs and triple keystone. The altered ground floor to each side retains some of stone plinth; inserted shopfront left. The first floor has 2 recessed 12-pane sashes in bay to each side of entrance. The second floor has 2 similar sashes in the projecting entrance bay, and 2 to each side. Central broken pediment and cornice with modillions; round window in pediment. The right side to Forest Street has blank ground floor; the first floor has 2 damaged recessed 12-pane sashes to first floor, 2 intact to the second floor and broken modillion pediment with round window. The main block rises behind the frontage to Love Street, with 2 recessed 12-pane sashes to the second floor and a great rectangular flush chimney with row of 14 flues. The right end of the block to Forest Street has altered basement with damaged steps to ground floor; 3 replaced French windows with 6-pane overlights; a round-arched doorway with replaced door under radial-bar fanlight. The first floor has 3 recessed 12-pane sashes; the second floor has 3 shorter 6-pane sashes; round attic window in broken pediment gable. The left side, formerly front, has rusticated stone ground floor with round-arched former doorway and boarded-up round-arched sash to each side; a blocked opening to basement beneath each window. Frieze at first floor with vase-balusters in 3 panels; 3 recessed 12-pane sashes with stone architraves and cornices, that to central sash on consoles. The second floor has 3 recessed 6-pane sashes to stone architraves; circular window with architrave in broken pediment-gable. The rear is almost unpierced; boxed eaves; a central flush chimney with row of 10 flues. INTERIOR: most surfaces in accessible rooms are covered, with probably dry lining to walls and low false ceilings. Part of a pair of Ionic columns is visible left of entrance lobby, with a small octagonal room behind retaining some panels, architraves and the frieze; round-arched recesses on 2 cardinal sides and 3 of the oblique sides; a saucer-shaped dome. There is said to be a similar upper room, not now accessible. Other features of interest are possible. HISTORICAL NOTE: apart from the former Bishop's Palace in the Groves (qv), this was the largest Georgian town house in Chester, occupied by Colonel Roger Barnston of Churton in the early C19. (Bartholomew City Guides: Harris B: Chester: 1979-: 160). Listing NGR: SJ4099566367