Monument record 11132 - St Giles’ Bakehouse, Eastgate Street

Documentary sources from the medieval period record the presence of a bakery at Godstall Lane owned by the hospital of St Giles. The first deed, dating to around 1313 describes a baker holding a house with a furnace at ‘Le Wodefen’ then called St Giles’s Bakehouse. Although the location of ‘Le Wodefen’ is uncertain, a later deed from 1344 describes a parcel of land with a bakery called St Giles’ Bakery lying to the rear of a similar property on Eastgate Street and was thus located at Godstall Lane (1)

Further deeds relating to bakehouses on the north side of Eastgate Row have been recorded in the 14th and 15th century. Several deeds refer to a Baxter’s Row where a number of bakeries and ovens were located, Baxter’s Row appeared to be located between Godstall Lane and St Werburgh Street. (2)

<1> Taylor, Henry, 1888, Notes upon Some Early Deeds Relating to Chester and Flint (Article in Journal). SCH5574.

<2> Montgomery R. M., 1918, Some early deeds relating to land on the north side of Eastgate Street, Chester (Article in Journal). SCH5672.