Monument record 12000/45 - Chester City Walls - Dee Bridge Gate

The Dee Bridge Gate was an outer gate in city’s medieval defences. When the Dee Bridge (CHER 11103) was rebuilt in stone between 1346 and 1358, Thomas de Ferrers, a justiciar, undertook for 150£ to complete the arches and parapets and to construct a tower at the Flints end of the bridge. In 1399, the chamberlain spent 26 13s 4d on the construction of 'new stone tower on Dee Bridge for fortification and the defence of whole City of Chester', but it was not finished until 1407, when half the murage was granted to the City used for its completion (1). Tower stood on large pier between last two arches and prior to 1499 probably approached by drawbridge (2). Randle Holme III (Harl Ms 7658 F161a) records that the tower had become dilapidated and was taken down in 1593 and replaced by a "faire stone house". This had "large pair of gates with a wickett and so built that it may have the use of a drawbridge and portcullis if need require, as was in the late warrs 1643" (i.e. the siege of Chester). The drawbridge replaced by an arch of stone and the gatehouse demolished when present Bridgegate constructed 1782 (3).

<1> Colvin H.M. (ed), 1963-1982, The History of the King's Works, /607-612 (Book). SCH3161.

<2> Stewart-Brown R., 1933, The Old Dee Bridge, Stewart-Brown 1933 30/63-78 (Article in Journal). SCH5720.

<3> Chester Courant, 1878-1990, The Cheshire Sheaf, 3rd/20/106,4947 Bennett J H E (Newspaper-Magazine). SCH3105.

<4> Morris, Rupert H (Rev.), 1894, Chester in the Plantagenet & Tudor Reigns, /231 (Book). SCH946.

<5> Ward, S. W., 1987, Excavations at Chester, the Civil War Siege Works, 1642-6 (Excavation & survey reports), /5 (Monograph). SCH1189.

<6> Donald Insall Associates, Chester City Walls Conservation Management Plan, R3251 (Client Report). SCH6603.