Building record 10594/2 - Chester Rows : 71-73 Bridge Street Row

No 71-73 Bridge Street Row consists of a wide frontage three storey town house of mid to late 18th century date, later subdivided into two properties.

The Row level shop front is one property and of a 20th century date with a doorway towards the north. The upper floors consist of three large sash windows evenly spaced across each floor all with stone sills and keystone heads. The facade is of Flemish bond red brick.

There is no evidence of pre 18th century fabric within the town house itself although several bridging joists at Row level appear to have belonged to an earlier phase of construction, later re-used in the present structure. At the south end of the Row level shop front there is a disused 18th century door providing access to the town house beyond.

At first floor level, the 18th century parlour has now been largely covered by modern material although the staircase is original. Few other 18th century features remain with the exception of a purlin roof of mid to late 18th century construction.

The Row walkway consists of a Row walk 2.43m wide and a stallboard 1.67m wide. The upper floors are supported by two brick piers to the north and south with two cast iron columns between carrying a support bressumer with dentil cornice. The Row front has a wooden balustrade. (1)

A serious fire in February 2002 significantly damaged this property reducing the rear part of the building to rubble along with a number of modern out buildings to the rear. A subsequent building survey of the extent of damage was carried out; a number of timbers removed from the debris of the roof were of a late 16th to early 17th century date, but appeared to have been re-used in the construction of a much later roof. At first floor level, much of the visible detail was 19th century including window frames and cornices in several rooms. At Row level the damage was also extensive, caused by collapsing debris and water damage and few datable details were visible. (4)

A more detailed building survey of No 71-73 Bridge Street Row was carried out later in 2002 to examine the standing remains and condition of the timbers recovered and in particular the roof structure. The survey recorded that the original roof form appeared to be single span trussed rafter roof of probable 18th century date with a king post and principal rafters supporting a pair of purlins of largely re-used timber. Later alterations were made in the 19th century. (5)

<1> Chester Archaeology, 1985-1990, Chester Rows Research Project Archive, CHER 10594 (Paper Archive). SCH6789.

<2> Brown. A. (ed), 1999, The Rows of Chester: The Chester Rows Research Project (Book). SCH6790.

<3> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

<4> Bob Meeson, Historic Buildings Consultant, 2002, 59-61 Bridge St., Chester: Preliminary Historic Building Assessment following Fire Damage, R3134 (Client Report). SCH6207.

<5> L - P Archaeology, 2002, Archaeological Building Assessment Report of 69-73 Bridge Street Row, Chester, R3137 (Client Report). SCH6209.

<6> Grosvenor Estate, 2002, Report on fire damage at 59-61 Bridge Street and 71-73 Bridge Street Row, Chester, R3332A-C (Client Report). SCH6811.