Building record 10583/1 - Chester Rows : 31-35 Bridge Street

No 31-35 Bridge Street form a single phase structure forming the entrance to St Michael’s Row. The whole was built between 1910-1911 by T.M. Lockwood in the Vernacular Revival style and replaced an earlier 19th century structure. At undercroft level the front facade is balanced with a wide central staircase of 13 steps up to Row level and three narrow undercrofts to either side. To the north of the central steps the front facades consists of a four centred arch with keystone and glazed tile surround in the northern and central undercrofts. The facade of the southern undercroft consists of a double door arrangement with central ionic pilaster. A door to the north accesses the shop, that to the south accesses the passage to the rear. To the south of the central steps the front facades consists of a four centred arch with keystone and glazed tile surround in the southern and central undercrofts. The facade of the northern undercroft consists of a door to the north accessing the shop and 12 steps up to Row level in the south. The interior of the undercroft is largely modern, however, some 1910 detail survives. 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.