Site Event/Activity record ECH6578 - CONFIDENTIAL: 4a Hunter Street, Chester: Historical Analysis and Report (Second Draft)

A survey and historical analysis for 4a Hunter Street, Chester, was produced in May 2017. The property is in ownership of Chester West and Chester Council, but has been closed up and unused for approximately 15 years, so the site is in poor condition. The site was visited in May 2017, though access was restricted due to instability of the structure; a full inspection of the interior was not possible. Accordingly, evidence for the conclusions reached was drawn from historic maps, a photographic survey undertaken in 2003, and the recent site visit. The basic structure of the building appears to date from between 1745 and 1789 and it seems to have been a subsidiary building to one or more houses on King Street – possibly a stable or mews building with groom’s accommodation over. By 1833 the building had been extended to the rear, possibly as a result of the building rising in status to become a self-contained dwelling. It may be that at that time the building had a more developed frontage onto the open space to the south. The 1871 map seems to show a building of slightly wider roof-span. It also has an outbuilding of its own in the north east corner of the site and a small garden with a circular feature is shown on the south side. By the time of the 1909 map, the building appears to have become yet deeper, being extended to the north and also the first floor extension to the south has been added. This alteration appears to have involved the removal of a section (if not all) of the south facing wall of the original structure. A separate south wing has also been added, covering the small area of formal garden previously noted. With the laying out of Hunter Street to the south, the building has been provided with its own proper access. In summary therefore, the building appears to be mid Georgian at its heart, with a major late-Victorian extension to the south, but with multiple extensions of various dates. The building also appears to be in poor and deteriorating condition. It may be that the building contains earlier period features of interest, but the many changes which it has experienced would tend to mitigate against this being likely. The property sits on an area of the Roman fort which was occupied by barrack blocks. Whether or not there are any Roman survivals beneath the site is uncertain, but, as in the majority of the city centre of Chester it must be a presumption that the site has archaeological importance. (1)