Building record 10499 - Chester Rows: 22-24 Northgate Street

No 22-24 Northgate Street consists of two medieval undercrofts heavily altered in the late 18th century when the Row level town houses were rebuilt. Further renovations have been documented in 1924 when they were converted to electricity showrooms at offices by P.H Lawson for Chester City Council and again in 1930 by F.C Saxon when the lower two storeys were re-fronted. Internal renovations have more recently been carried out in 1989-90 for the Merseyside and North Wales Electricity Board and again in recent years following their conversion into commercial properties. The medieval undercrofts are presently re fronted with modern glass and stone, inscribed ‘City of Chester’ and are described as a rare survival of inter war municipal electricity showroom. Medieval coursed rubble sandstone survives in the side, party and front walls with an 18th century brick barrel vault running back from the street. The south undercroft, now 6.5 x 4.0m, has a central front opening, altered; the north undercroft, now 6.5 x 4m, has medieval jambs to the central front opening. Each undercroft probably had its own steps to the street, later replaced by a small chamber encroaching on the street. To the rear the party wall and barrel vaults are removed and the faces of the side walls concealed. The upper floors have been re-fronted in brown brick probably in the early 19th century with a parapet disguising the roof. No internal features of any antiquity were noted. 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.