Listed Building: 90 AND 92, LOWER BRIDGE STREET (1376317)

CHESTER CITY (IM) SJ4065NE LOWER BRIDGE STREET 595-1/6/244 (West side) 10/01/72 Nos.90 AND 92 GV II Town house, now shop, cafe and flats. Probably of C15 origin altered C17, C18, early C19 and C20. Flemish bond brown brick front post-1816; grey slate roof, formerly with a pair of front gables, since early C19 concealed by a tall parapet. EXTERIOR: 3 storeys, 2 bays. Originally timber-framed, of 2 storey height, increased to 3 storeys and apparently largely cased in brick with 4 cross-casements to the front C17, refronted early C19 and shop door and windows and door to upper storeys, south, formed then or later; shop door of 6 panels, 4 now glazed, has a 1-light 1-pane window, north, and two 1-pane windows south; house door of 4 fielded panels above 2 flush panels south of the shopfront; timber cornice on brackets. The upper storeys have recessed sashes with painted stone sills and wedge lintels, 3 of 12 panes to the second storey and 3 of 9 panes to third storey; brick parapet with moulded stone coping. The north side and rear are clad in brick of late C17 character, renewed at corner; a heavy bay-post near centre of side wall. Valley chimney. INTERIOR: the first storey is altered: large central stack. The front room has a chamfered cross-beam, perhaps reused and altered; posts in side-walls; studded south wall; the lower part of a massive 2-storey post c300mm x 300mm belling out to nearly 450mm x 450mm at its crown, suggesting a former 2-bay great hall. The beams are altered. An inserted passage south of the front room leads to the stair. Altered opening for a broad fireplace in front room. The second storey has a good full-width front room with small oak panelling to rear wall and matching doors, sub-panels to embrasures and 4-panel ceiling with ornamental early C17 plasterwork on the 2 side-beams and the rear frieze and cornice; the central beam from front to back is renewed. The north wall has a jowled post. The central post in the rear room, now abutted by inserted partitions, has broad angle-braces to north, south and west and mortice for the east brace, now removed. The framing to the third storey, mostly scanty and of late C17 character, contains some heavier timbers, probably re-used. (Batenham: Engravings of Chester City: Chester: 1816-; Chester Rows Research Project: Grenville J: Lower Bridge Street, West: 1986-). Listing NGR: SJ4064265846