Building record 10462/2 - Chester Rows: 24 Watergate Street Row

No 24 Watergate Street Row consists of a three storey town house, currently used as a shop, restaurant and flat of possible 14th century origin but heavily altered in the 17th century and re-fronted in the 19th century. The building is constructed of Flemish bond brown brick with timber framing and a grey slate roof.

At Row level there is evidence of a late medieval hall behind the shop bay with traces of 15th-16th century timber in the front portion later altered in the 17th century to incorporate and support a dogleg staircase. The street frontage is rendered with a half glazed door, the interior of the Row level has 17th century panelling on the west wall and a complex timber framing. Two arches divide the room, one of 18th century and one of 20th century.

The rooms of the first floor Row building appear to be Victorian in style although the staircase is of late 17th century date with a 15th-16th century core. Although the staircase up to the second floor is also of 17th century date, the rooms themselves appear 19th century. The rear gable is partly masked by later buildings on Goss Street.

The upper floors of the Row building were supported by two Tuscan iron columns on the Row Walkway with an iron railing frontage. (1)

<1> Chester Archaeology, 1985-1990, Chester Rows Research Project Archive, CHER 10462 (Paper Archive). SCH6789.

<2> Brown. A. (ed), 1999, The Rows of Chester: The Chester Rows Research Project (Book). SCH6790.

<3> Smith. M.A., 1986, Chester Rows Research Project: First Interim Report (Unpublished Report). SCH6791.

<4> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

<5> Brown, A N, J C Grenville and R C Turner, 1990, Watergate Street The Rows Research Project (Unpublished Report). SCH6636.