Monument record 9055 - Dee Bridge, Saxon Period

Although none of its fabric appears to have survived (or at least none of it is visible), a bridge across the River Dee between Chester and the Handbridge suburb is known to have existed in Saxon times. A grant from King Edgar to the secular canons of St Werburgh’s church in 958 exempted them from the duties associated with bridge building and repair (1). The Domesday Book refers to a presumed long standing arrangement for the repair of the bridge: ‘for the repair of the wall of the city and of the bridge the reeve used to call up one man from each hide in the county. The lord of any man who failed to come paid a fine of 40s to the king and the earl’ (1). Although there is no direct or documentary evidence for this, it is generally held that either the construction or the re-building of the Saxon period bridge might have been associated with the restoration of the city defences of Chester, beginning 907 by Aethelred (4). The bridge clearly continued into the medieval period, and is still a of primary importance to Chester’s traffic today.

<1> Stewart-Brown R., 1933, The Old Dee Bridge, Stewart-Brown 1933 30/63-78 (Article in Journal). SCH5720.

<2> Pevsner N & Hubbard E, 1971, The Buildings of England: Cheshire, /159 (Book). SCH3078.

<3> Morris, Rupert H (Rev.), 1894, Chester in the Plantagenet & Tudor Reigns, /230-1 (Book). SCH946.

<4> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Ormerod G 1882 1/362-363 (Book). SCH1389.

<5> Department of the Environment, 1971-2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, /2/8 (Report). SCH1934.

<6> Harris, B.E., 1979, Bartholomew City Guides - Chester, /136 (Book). SCH394.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ46NW39/1964 (Index). SCH2487.

<8> English Heritage, Various, Old/Original Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Description), /No.17 (Scheduling Record). SCH4606.

<8> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), /No.17 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.

<9> Various, Aerial photographs, Chester 3 Williams S R 1977 (Aerial Photograph). SCH128.

<10> Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Revised List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, City of Chester Extra Mural 1998/ 138 (Unpublished Report). SCH4570.