Building record 10590/2 - Chester Rows : 59 Bridge Street Row

No 59 Bridge Street Row consists of a narrow town house originally constructed in the 17th century using timber framing but with a poor late 19th century renovation. The Row level shop front is modern with 19th century joists over the Row itself. At second floor level the facade is a poor attempt at Vernacular revival with painted mock timber framing. The over large oriel window has a decorated ogee headed two pane sash window. The gable end above has ornate bargeboards and false studwork. At Row level the shop area is modern while the space to the rear is open to roof level with a gallery on the south side. Although the material is 19th century it is believed to replace an earlier 17th century arrangement. Remains of the original timber frame structure survives in the passage to the south, however. At first floor level the front room appears to have had its floor raised in the 19th century although there remains some exposed timber framing of a 17th century date. The roof includes both false roof trusses in the east wall (albeit re-using original 17th century timbers) and 19th century trusses to the rear. The Row walkway consists of a Row walk 2.19m wide and a stallboard 2.1m wide. The upper floor is supported by brick end piers. 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.