Building record 10475/1 - Chester Rows: 11 Watergate Street

No 11 Watergate Street consists of a stone undercroft, currently in use as a shop, of a probable medieval date. Dendro-chronological analysis on timbers taken from the undercroft indicate a date of construction in the late 13th century.

The facade is largely modern, with extensive renovations noted during the survey by the Chester Research Project and little of the original medieval features survive here.

The undercroft has a vaulted ceiling in the quadri-partite style (divided into four sections using diagonal and transverse ribbing to create the vaulted effect) creating two aisles and four bays. The arcade has octagonal columns, one of which indicates the original floor level. The walls are dress sandstone with the best stonework towards the front. Three rebated cupboards are present at a height of approximately 1m above floor level, two in the east wall and one in the south.

An original door opening exists in the east corner of the south wall created by a chamfered arch with a two centred head. The south, interior, side of the arch is splayed and rebated suggesting it originally marked a door opening out of the building. Evidence of internal partitions were noted, separating the second bay from the rest by the use of timber.

Two extensions are noted to the rear of the medieval undercroft, the first is a stone walled, brick vaulted undercroft approximately 10m in length of an early post medieval date with a later extension in around 1894. Also during the Victorian period, there appears to have been an attempt to alter the internal floor level in the front part of the undercroft extending back to a depth of approximately 5.2m. (1)

The crypt was described in 1864 on its discovery as belonging to the premises of Mr J Peacock, wine merchant, when it was suggested that it connected with the medieval crypt on Bridge Street (CHER 10552/1). A door in the south wall may have led to a stairway or another cellar beyond and was the evidence for the connection with the Bridge Street crypt. Its medieval extent was said to be 13.4m in length, 6.7m in width and 3.35m to the height of the groining. (6)

<1> Chester Archaeology, 1985-1990, Chester Rows Research Project Archive, CHER 10475 (Paper Archive). SCH6789.

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

<3> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

<4> Smith. M.A., 1986, Chester Rows Research Project: Second Interim Report (Unpublished Report). SCH6792.

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

<6> Anon, 1864, Watergate Street Crypt (Article in Journal). SCH7030.

<7> Lawson, P H and J T Smith, 1958, The Rows of Chester: Two Interpretations, No 11 (Quellyn Roberts) (Article in Journal). SCH5750.