Building record 10560/1 - Chester Rows : 32 Bridge Street

No 32 Bridge Street is a stone undercroft, currently in use as a shop, of a probable medieval origin although extensive alterations were made in the 19th century when the above town house was constructed. The facade of the undercroft is late 19th century with a central recessed doorway and moulded cornice in timber. Although the interior is largely covered in modern material and shop fittings, several sections of sandstone were visible for inspection suggesting this was the longest surviving medieval undercroft measuring 40.85m in length. The present undercroft is subdivided with a front section housing 18th or 19th century heavy ceiling beams and joists, the central section is entirely clad however a brick barrel vault was recorded in the western half while the rear section has the best surviving medieval walls and an 18th or 19th century barrel vault. 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.