Building record 10562/2 - Chester Rows : 34 Bridge Street Row

No 34 Bridge Street Row is a three storey timber framed town house, currently in use as a shop and offices, of a probable early 17th century date with an 18th century re fronting. The front facade is Flemish bond red brick with three identical sash windows and first and second floor levels. The Row level shop front consists of a rectangular studded door opposite the access steps of a late medieval to post medieval date. The semi circular door head is late 18th century while the window to the north is a modern insert. The rear facade was also observed during the survey, consisting of 20th century false timber framing over the original 17th century framework. The interior of the town house contains several phases of activity, at Row level the bay posts and cross beams of the original timber framing remains visible along with some studwork in the north wall, however, the remainder is modern. To the rear a 20th century brick built and corrugated iron structure contains a modern kitchen. At first floor level the original 17th century framework survives largely intact with 20th century false timber framing against the rear wall and a staircase with an 18th century balustrade. The front room over the Row walk has wainscot panelling of an early 17th century date. The second floor is almost entirely 20th century. The Row walkway consists of a Row walk 2.12m wide and a stallboard 2.08m wide with brick end piers to the north and south and a plain bressumer across supporting the upper floors. The Row front has a plain iron railing of early 20th century date. The Chester Rows Research Project was carried out between 1985 and 1990 and included detailed documentary research as well as architectural surveys of the surviving buildings. The project was initiated by the City of Chester and the former County Council with funding by the Royal Commission on the Historic Monuments, English Heritage, the British Academy, the British Archaeological Research Trust, the St. John's House Trust, Chester, Samuel South Old Brewery, Colin Stannanought Partnership and Chester Civic Trust. A paper archive of documents, medieval deeds and a photographic record was produced on a building by building basis along the four main streets of Chester, both historic and modern buildings were examined although the present extent of the Rows is much reduced. The earliest reference to the unique arrangement of structures dates to the early 13th century. The traditional arrangement on the Rows consisted of a single storey structure at street level and a separate Row level building over it. The undercroft was a stone built structure, often of early origin, constructed at street level. Above it, the Row level building was more often timber built and consisted of a 'Row' level storey incorporating the Row walkway and the building frontage some 4-6m back. The Row building often included at least one further storey above it that extended back over the Row walkway. Due to differences in ground level between the front and back of the plots, both the undercroft and the Row level storey are built on the present ground level. The Row walkway extended over the front 4-6m of the undercroft and included the pathway adjacent to the Row frontage and an area known as the stallboards over the undercroft frontage (this allowed extra head room for the undercroft and additional space for traders for the Row).