Building record 10511 - Chester Rows: 63-65 Northgate Street Blue Bell Inn

No 63-65 Northgate Street (formerly the Blue Bell Inn) is outside the Row system itself, it was surveyed as part of the Chester Rows Project due to the relatively complete level of survival of the medieval fabric. Significantly the bona fide roof structure could be seen to extend over both the walkway and the nominal stall area, unique amongst the surviving Rows. Despite some renovation to the rear, No 63 proved to be the better preserved of the two and appears to be a small town house with a ground level shop and chamber above and open hall beyond, and in this case a second chamber over the Row walkway. The importance of this chamber in the layout of the building was revealed through constructional features including a wide arch headed doorway. The roof structure and rear area of the open hall beyond was partially obscured by modern renovation however both the east and west medieval party wall were observed indicating a square hall with access via a passage from the Row on the south side. The small front shop measured 2.66m by 2.74m in a similar style to the Row properties with a Row walk and stallboard in front. Samples from several timbers at No 63 including one from the crown post in the main chamber were taken for dendro-chronological analysis, suggesting a date of construction in the mid to late 15th century. Although No 65 appears to be less well preserved, it is thought to follow a similar pattern to that at No 63. 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.