28 Bridge Street and 26 Row

SJ4066SE 595-1/4/43

CHESTER CITY (IM) BRIDGE STREET AND ROW (West side) No.28 Street and No.26 Row (Ye Olde Vaults)

(Formerly Listed as: BRIDGE STREET No.28)

10/01/89

GV II

Public house. c1789, refurbished c1900. Brown Flemish bond brickwork, largely rendered; grey slate roof hipped to front, at right angles to Bridge Street. EXTERIOR: cellars and 4 storeys, one bay. At N corner of Bridge Street and Commonhall Street. The street level bar has an ornamental surround to arched doorway with panel inscribed Ye Olde Vaults in raised lettering above, south, and a 24-pane replacement of a similar earlier window; brick end-piers, that to south rounded at street corner. The Row front has substantial wooden barleysugar balusters and rail imitating Nos 22 and 24 Row (qv), stallboard approx 1.2m from front to back; brick end piers; plaster ceiling to stallboard and Row walk; the face of the upper lounge to the rear of the Row walk, c1900, is timber-framed, with a mock-Tudor south door and over-panel inscribed Ye Olde Vaults in raised lettering. The fascia over the Row opening, the architrave frieze and cornice at fourth storey floor and eaves cornice are designed to match those of Nos 20, 22 & 24 Row; a C20 three-light leaded metal casement to each upper storey; eaves parapet. The architrave, frieze and cornices return on the Commonhall Street face; the Flemish bond brickwork is exposed on the lower 2 storeys; the street storey has a doorway and small leaded hopper windows; the Row storey has 3 leaded cross-windows and a mullioned and transomed 3-light casement; the third storey has a 2-light leaded casement and 4 leaded cross-windows, the fourth storey 3 leaded casements; part of a rainwater pipe and head of lead with a lead bracket dated 1789; three lateral chimneys. INTERIOR: beer cellars C18 to C19. Deep bar with some timber beams; 2 shorter rear rooms, one with fireplace and one barrel vaulted; stair to Row-level lounge which has an ornate grapes- and-vines plaster ceiling, c1900; in the 3rd storey most features covered; 4th storey has late C18 5-panelled doors. (Chester Rows Research Project: Harris R: Archive, Bridge Street West: 1989-; Engravings of street frontages in Chester: Batenham: Bridge Street West (part): 1816-).

Listing NGR: SJ4051266204