3, Abbey Square

CHESTER CITY (IM)

SJ4066NW ABBEY SQUARE 595-1/1/8 (West side) 28/07/55 No.3 (Formerly Listed as: ABBEY SQUARE (West side) Nos.1 AND 2-6 (Consecutive))

GV II*

Town house, now office. Probably 1771-2 for Samuel Hostage as leaseholder from Dean and Chapter. Flemish bond brown brick with pale headers; grey slate roof steeper than that to Nos 1 & 2 (qv). EXTERIOR: cellar and 3 storeys. Painted stone plinth. 2 stone steps to door of 6 fielded panels with radial-bar fanlight in Roman Doric timber case with fluted pilasters and open pediment. 2 flush sashes per storey, now of 4 panes; painted stone sills to first and third storeys and sillband to second storey; painted rusticated wedge lintels with false keystones; moulded painted stone cornice; brick parapet with stone coping; one chimney visible. The rear looks across a short yard to the back of the buildings east of Northgate Street. INTERIOR: the cellar has a 2-panel door, stair with newel and rail of C17 type, quarry floors and, under the house, walls largely of brick; brick wine-bins; some chamfered oak beams. 3 stone steps in opening with stone reveals in east wall lead down to lower cellar under pavement of Abbey Square which has coursed sandstone walls beneath a probably C18 segmental barrel vault of brick, reputedly an ecclesiastic court cell. The first-storey front room has broad panels beneath dado-rail, eared fire-surround of carved wood with festoon frieze and embellished cornice, door of 6 fielded panels in eared architrave, panelled shutters and plaster cornice. The stair-hall has round archway with fluted pilasters. The south rear room has a probably Georgian range of cupboards against the east wall, panelled dado and fire surround with eared architrave; the north rear room has a late Georgian fire-surround in a blocked earlier broad opening with a cambered oak bressumer on sandstone piers with lambs tongue stops to chamfers; a 2-tier corner cupboard has fielded panels and old hinges. The narrow-well open-string stair has curtail step, rose, 3 column-on-vase balusters per step, moulded swept rail and panelled dado with bolection panels above. The second-storey front room has door of 6 fielded panels, panelled embrasures with eared architraves, fire surround with

eared architrave and modillion cornice. The rear south room has door of 4 fielded panels on HL hinges, a simple eared fire surround and a basket-arched alcove. The landing with chinois balustrade overlooks the stairwell; the narrow stair to the third storey is offset, and has winders. The third storey rooms have 2-panel doors; a simple eared fire surround. A narrow attic stair, similar to that to the third storey; a 2-panel attic door. (Dean and Chapter of Chester Cathedral: Leases: 1771-1846: EDD 10.07.13; Burne RVH: Chester Cathedral: London: 1958-: 218-20).

Listing NGR: SJ4049566512