Building record 10640/7 - Abbey of St Werburgh - Abbey Gateway

The Abbey Gateway was the main entrance into the Abbey of St Werburgh’s precinct, now the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary (CHER 10641), from Northgate St. to the west of the abbey. It is thought to date from 1377, when a licence was obtained to enclose and crenellate the abbey and the church building (1), but Pevsner suggests that it may be of an earlier date (2). The gateway has two pointed arched entrances, a large central one for vehicles, and a smaller one on the south side for pedestrians, with continuous chamfers (2). The sunk chamfers of the arches, and vaulting ribs suggest that it was contemporary with the early fourteenth century phases of the choir, inside the church (7). A vast sweeping relieving arch of segmental form contains both of these arches; this is an unusual facade for a monastic gatehouse (3). It has a three-bay vault with diagonal and ridge ribs, all of one chamfer, with carved bosses (2). The upper storey was originally approached by a spiral staircase (4). The present upper storey has Gothic windows and is of late eighteenth or early nineteenth century date (5).

<1> Burne, R. V. H., 1962, The Monks of Chester. The History of St Werburgh's Abbey (Book). SCH3213.

<2> Pevsner N & Hubbard E, 1971, The Buildings of England: Cheshire, /148 (Book). SCH3078.

<3> Maddison J.M., 1981, The Choir of Chester Cathedral, Maddison J M 1983 /31-46 (Article in Journal). SCH5934.

<4> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Ormerod G 1882 1/249-65 (Book). SCH1389.

<5> Harris, B.E., 1979, Bartholomew City Guides - Chester, /67 (Book). SCH394.

<6> Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Revised List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, City of Chester Intra Mural 1998/ 341 (Unpublished Report). SCH4570.

<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 (Book). SCH6522.