Monument record 11103 - Old Dee Bridge

A bridge over the River Dee has been recorded in approximately this position since the Roman times, the present bridge is originally late 14th century but with significant alteration in 1826. It is of red sandstone with seven arches. The bridge was widened, upstream, in 1826, to provide a footway, partly corbelled. Timber continued to be used for drawbridge across southern span well into reign of Elizabeth I, later rebuilt in brick of a 17th century date (5)

A bridge is mentioned at Chester in Domesday in 1086 when it was recorded that one man from each hide of the county could be summoned to repair it. Early documentary sources regarding the bridge are scant; a reference to a bridge built over the Dee at Chester suggests it was at the behest of Elfleda in 917 AD following the rebuilding of the city in the 10th century while a later grant dated 958 by King Edgar to the canons of St Werbugh also refers to a bridge over the Dee. (1)

The early medieval bridge was of wood and had been destroyed by floods in 1227, 1297 and 1353. Until the 14th century traffic over the bridge was confined to pedestrians and animals with iron shod wheeled vehicles crossing via ferry or fords. (1-2)

In the 13th century maintenance of the bridge was important since the area south of the river was an assembly point for many Welsh campaigns. The Earl of Chester was required to provide timber for repairs & when stone was used, he obtained this at his expense from a local quarry on the south side of bridge. An agreement in 1288 between county & city decided that city was to repair & maintain that part of bridge nearest to 'vil' of Newbolt (S side of river) with 2.4m of compressed earth & stonework & 14.7m of timberwork. County was responsible for rest of bridge.

In 1346 the bridge was said to be in an advanced state of disrepair requiring substantial rebuilding to the arches, the parapet of the earl’s fishery by the bridge, one tower on the south side of the bridge and the causeway by the bridge at the city end. (1)

From 1351 pontage tolls were introduced for the maintenance of the bridge although the city was still required to repair their part of its. In 1387 the bridge collapsed and Richard II gave the profits of both the ferry & murage taken for the walls towards the repair of bridge. Half the murage of 1407 was used to complete bridge tower & the murage of 1409 was for repair of walls, bridges & gates of city. Tolls continued to be taken for the crossing of Dee Bridge until the late 19th century. (1-2)

Archaeological investigations during engineering works on the bridge in 1999 identified an earlier surface beneath the present road probably dating to the last period of extensive repair to the late 18th century. The investigations comprised five trial pits each of which identified a cobbled surface, however, only trench 7 produced datable finds of an 18th century date. (11)

The investigations also identified a second earlier road surface in trench 5 that may be medieval in date. (11)

<1> Stewart-Brown R., 1933, The Old Dee Bridge, Stewart-Brown 1933 30/63-78 (Article in Journal). SCH5720.

<2> Pevsner N & Hubbard E, 1971, The Buildings of England: Cheshire, /159 (Book). SCH3078.

<3> Morris, Rupert H (Rev.), 1894, Chester in the Plantagenet & Tudor Reigns, /230-1 (Book). SCH946.

<4> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Ormerod G 1882 1/362-363 (Book). SCH1389.

<5> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 469829 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

<6> Harris, B.E., 1979, Bartholomew City Guides - Chester, /136 (Book). SCH394.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ46NW39/1964 (Index). SCH2487.

<8> English Heritage, Various, Old/Original Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Description), /No.17 (Scheduling Record). SCH4606.

<9> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), /No.17 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.

<10> Various, Aerial photographs, Chester 3 Williams S R 1977 (Aerial Photograph). SCH128.

<11> Chester Archaeology, 1999, Chester Old Dee Bridge 1999; watching brief on engineering works., R2696 (Client Report). SCH4805.

<12> Higham N J, 1984-9, Professor Nick Higham's Aerial Photographs, 1986/6/38 (Aerial Photograph). SCH7659.