The Hermitage

CHESTER CITY (EM)

SJ4066 THE GROVES 1932-1/6/149 (North side) 28/07/55 The Hermitage

GV II*

Probably anchorite's cell to which a friar was formally inducted, now a cottage. 1363. Eroded vertical-sided bedrock plinth up to 2.5m high; coursed partly snecked sandstone; grey slate roof. The entrance front north was porch of former St Martin's Church (not included), re-erected here 1897-8 by TRP Royle on a segmental-arched bridge from adjacent higher ground: the arch has colonnette-jambs; trefoils in spandrels; triple lancets in right side; 2-light mullioned casement right of porch; projecting stone chimney right; the first floor has a lancet right, a triple lancet in an inserted or renewed ashlar panel above porch; voussoirs of a blocked arch partly behind chimney. The east end has a replaced window in segmental-arched opening to ground floor; a mullioned 3-light arched window with intersecting tracery to first floor; coped gable. The west end has a small high-level segmental-arched window to ground floor; buttress at south-west corner; coped gable with gabled finial. The rear, south, has some rectangular recesses in the plinth, a central lancet to stair and 2 lancets to first floor. All glazing is replaced. The cottage was refurbished c1970, probably by James Brotherhood. INTERIOR not inspected. Building vacant at time of survey (June 1992). (Cheshire SMR: Collens J: Chester City: 1988-: 3008/1/6; Chester City Council and Committee: Improvement Committee Minutes: 17.11.1897, 5.1.1898).

Listing NGR: SJ4095066064