Monument record 10088 - Union Hall, Foregate Street

The Union Hall on Foregate Street was built in 1809 in order to supplement the old Linenhall on Northgate Street (CHER 10346). It was erected by tradesmen from Manchester and elsewhere and comprised a large rectangular building containing 60 single and 10 double lock-up shops arranged on two floors around a galleried courtyard supported by iron pillars. The top floor comprised a series of long halls where clothiers from Yorkshire were located. (1)

The business of large fairs gradually died out during the 19th century and by 1850 the emphasis had shifted from large market halls temporarily occupied to more permanent businesses and the hall gradually fell out of use and by 1850 the hall was in use primarily as warehousing and shops. In 1911 the street frontage and the south range were demolished, the west range in 1966 and finally the remaining parts of the building were demolished in 1992 (1) when a survey of the remaining structures was carried out (2). The remains indicated a three story brick building with a gallery at first floor level. The lower two levels were divided into small compartments. The front of the building originally had nine bays and a central entrance into the open courtyard. The second floor was not subdivided. (2)

Archaeological investigations carried out in the open courtyard in 1991 identified earlier courtyard surfaces and construction surfaces relating to the Union Hall. Three trenches were excavated in the courtyard, all of which recorded the primary surface along with the levelling layer of the courtyard.

<1> Lewis C.P & Thacker A.T. (eds), 2005, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume Vii, The City of Chester - The City of Chester, Culture, Buildings, Institutions (Book). SCH6522.

<2> Chester City Council Archaeology Service, 1992, Chester Archaeology Service Newsletter (Newsletter). SCH6006.

<3> Chester Archaeology, 1991, An Evaluation Excavation at 32-36 Foregate Street, Chester, September 1991, R2092 (Client Report). SCH4108.

<4> Ponsford, Michael, 1992, Post-Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1991 (Article in Journal). SCH6067.

<5> Ponsford, Michael, 1993, Post-Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1992 (Article in Journal). SCH6068.