3-6, Abbey Green

CHESTER CITY (IM)

SJ4066NW ABBEY GREEN 595-1/1/3 Nos.3-6 (Consecutive) 28/07/55

GV II*

Terrace of 4 town houses. Late C18. For leaseholders from the Dean and Chapter of Chester Cathedral. Flemish bond brown brick with grey slate roof. EXTERIOR: 3 storeys; 13 windows to upper storeys. 2 stone steps on partly brick risers to doors of 6 flush panels with plain overlights in timber cases with eared architraves, plain friezes and moulded cornice hoods. Flush sashes with painted stone sills and rusticated wedge lintels with false keystones. The first storey from north, has door and 2 windows to No.3, 2 windows, door and one window to No.4, door and 2 windows to No.5 and 2 windows and door to No.6. An unbroken vertical joint between Nos 5 & 6. Nos 3, 4 & 5 have 4-pane sashes to each storey except third storey of No.3 which is 6-pane; No.6 has glazing bars removed from first and second storey and 6-pane sashes to third storey. Painted stone cornice beneath brick parapet with plain stone coping. Iron rainwater pipes and heads. The north end wall of No.3 is rebuilt, C20 with one 13-pane sash each to the first and second storeys and a 6-pane sash to the third storey. 3 chimneys in front of ridge and 4 behind it. The rear has irregular fenestration, largely small-pane flush sashes. INTERIOR: No.4 has doors of 6 fielded panels, panelled embrasures with shutters, cornices, a good open-string stair with shaped brackets, 3 column-on-vase balusters per step, swept handrail with rose, turned lower storey newels and square newels to upper storey. Third storey doors of 4 fielded panels. No.5 has cellar with sandstone rubble south, east and west walls and brick north wall; stone cellar steps, doors of 6 and 4 fielded panels; embrasure benches and shutters; cornices. Open-string stair of one flight per storey has open string with brackets, curtail step; 3 column-on-vase balusters per step, swept rail with rose and dado rail. Doors have HL hinges and old latches; the second-storey rear room has a good cast-iron fireplace in carved wood surround; a good fireplace in third storey front room and a modest one in the back room; one door of 2 fielded panels; cornices removed in third storey. The interiors of Nos 3 & 6 could not be inspected but probably have features similar to those in Nos 4 & 5.

HISTORICAL NOTE: the terrace is shown on the map of Chester surveyed by Weston and published by James Hunter in 1789. (Weston: Map of Chester: Chester: 1789-).

Listing NGR: SJ4050866638