Building record 10483/1 - Chester Rows: 37 Watergate Street St Ursula’s

No 37 Watergate Street is a stone undercroft, currently in use as a shop of a probable medieval origin with significant remodelling in the post medieval period. The facade is of local red sandstone ashlar with a width of 5.8m. The shop front is divided into three sections separated by columns carved in relief; the central space for the door and large windows to either side. There is an inscription over the door that reads ‘Saint Ursula’s’. Dating for the undercroft is problematic, however it is suggested that it was initially constructed in the late 12th or 13th century with a later major phase of alteration in the 16th century followed by a final phase of major alteration in the late 19th century. Although samples were taken for dendro-chronological analysis, it was not possible to produce a date in this case. The traditional arrangement on the Rows consisted of a single storey stone undercroft at street level and a Row level building over it. Above the undercroft, the Row level building was more often timber built and consisted of a 'Row' level storey incorporating the Row walkway or stallboard extending over the frontage of the undercroft (this allowed extra head room for the undercroft and additional space for traders on the stallboards). The Row walkway was approximately 4-6m in width and incorporated the path and the stallboards themselves. The Row level storey formed the medieval shop opening onto the Row walkway. Due to differences in ground level between the front and back of the plots, the undercroft is at street level at the front and the Row level storey at ground level to the rear. The Row building also often included at least one further storey above it that extended forward again over the Row walkway. The upper floors were private, domestic quarters. The Rows are believed to be of medieval origin, dating at least to the 13th century followed by a gradual evolution of built form over a period of perhaps 100 years to create the present elements of undercroft, Row walkway and Row building. Survival of the built form of the Rows varies considerably and different elements of a single building can vary enormously in date from the 13th century through to the 20th century.