Monument record 10964 - Roodee Gasworks

The Roodee Gasworks was first established in 1851 by Samuel Highfield, from Birkenhead, with permission from the Chester Corporation to built at the Roodee. Highfield completed the original extent of the gasworks in 1852 (it is first recorded on Thomas' map of Chester in 1853 as the 'New Gas Works' and consisted of two gasometers and one additional structure (5)) and subsquently amalgamated with the Chester Gas Light Company (itself formed in 1817 to supply the city with lighting CHER 10314). The newly formed company became known as the Roodee Gas Company from 1854.

The gasworks expanded in 1865 and by the first edition Town plans by the Ordnance Survey consisted of two gasometers, an engine house, a boiler house and a number of additional structures (1). By the start of the 20th century the gasworks had expanded southwest along the Roodee with the addition of three new gasometers and a new array of subsidiary structures (8). Despite the switchover to electric lighting in the city from 1905 the gasworks continued to operate, supplying to a largely domestic market until 1970 when the gasworks was closed. (7)

Two phases of archaeological investigation have been carried out in the area of the gasworks, in September 2000 a series of trial trenches were excavated along the river front to the west of the late 19th century gasometers encountering concrete surfaces associated with the gasworks (3).

Subsequent work in 2005 consisted of a watching brief across the entire site of the gasworks as well as an excavation on the site of the former workhouse and early part of the gasworks. The watching brief identified several sections of large gas metal pipes in Areas 3 and 4 as well as part of one of the late 19th century gasometers in area 5. The excavation also encountered the southern edge of one of gasometers from the mid 19th century extent of the gasworks. (4)

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1872-1875, Metric Ten Foot Scale Town Plan of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH6780.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

<3> Matrix Archaeology, 2000, River Wall Restoration, Old Port, Chester: Archaeological Assessment and Watching Brief (Interim Report), R3160 Gaz 2; 3; 4; 14 (Client Report). SCH6255.

<4> L - P Archaeology, 2004, Old Port, Chester; Archaeological Excavation Report., R2731 (Client Report). SCH4847.

<5> Thomas, T, c.1853, Plan of the City and Liberties of Chester with Recent Additional Buildings (Maps and Plans). SCH6515.

<6> Catherall and Pritchard, c.1860, Pictorial Plan of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH6516.

<7> Lewis C.P & Thacker A.T. (eds), 2005, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume Vii, The City of Chester - The City of Chester, Culture, Buildings, Institutions, p42 (Book). SCH6522.

<8> Ordnance Survey, 1896-1898, Ordnance Survey First Revision County Series (Epoch 2) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire (Maps and Plans). SCH3848.

<9> Wilson J.F, 1990, Competition in the early gas industry: the case of Chester Gaslight Co. 1817-1856 (Article in Journal). SCH6003.

<10> L - P Archaeology, 2005, Archaeological Watching Brief Report of Land at Old Port, Chester, R2969 (Client Report). SCH5281.