Listed Building: 53, LOWER BRIDGE STREET (1376311)

CHESTER CITY (IM) SJ4065NE LOWER BRIDGE STREET 595-1/6/259 (East side) 10/01/72 No.53 GV II Undercroft and humble town house, now shop and accommodation. Medieval origin altered early C18 and C19. Timber frame, painted brickwork and roof of grey slate, ridge at right-angle to the front. EXTERIOR: 3 storeys of one narrow bay. Front rebuilt probably C18, altered later, of brick. Replaced door, south, of 2-panes above a boarded panel; C19 shop window north of door has 6 panes in a timber case with a lead-clad hood. Each upper storey has one recessed 12-pane sash with boxes exposed, tiled sills and cambered brick heads. Late C19 parapet to front gable, of patterned red and yellow brick with terracotta coping and ball finial. The south side to St Olave Street displays phases of building. Medieval red sandstone rubble walling remains towards rear, and a few visible stones further west. The late medieval posts, west of the bay, containing the westernmost window to the first and second storey, marks the front of the former Row walk; carpenters' marks are numbered from rear of the former Row walk, westward in the Row and stallboard bay, eastward in the domestic bays behind. The secondary framing in the Row and stallboard bay is probably late C17. Irregular window-pattern with leaded glazing. An old boarded door to the undercroft and a similar door in an inserted recessed porch with 8 repaired stone steps to the second storey. The flue is taken up through a south chimney of No.51 (qv), probably when that much taller building was constructed and the Row closed in 1700. The rear is built against. INTERIOR: the former undercroft, now first storey, has no features of special interest visible. In the former Row storey, now second storey, the front south corner post, beams and other framing are visible. An inglenook against the north wall at the eastern end has a stone heck, brick fireplace, massive bressumer and plastered smoke-hood. The closed-string stair against the north wall has turned newels with ball finials and slender turned balusters, probably mid C18. In the third storey the firehood and a damaged roof-truss are visible. (Chester Rows Research Project: Grenville J: Lower Bridge Street, East: 1988-). Listing NGR: SJ4062865956