5-11, ABBEY STREET

A terrace of three town houses at 5-11 Abbey Street, built in the 18th century. Numbers 5 and 7 are dated 1764, while number 11 adjoins the rear of number 9. The houses are constructed of brown brick with a grey slate roof.

The exterior displays three storeys; numbers 5 & 7 have three windows each, number 9 has four windows to each upper storey. A painted stone plinth is present. Numbers 5 and 7 have three apron steps, and number 9 has four, leading to doors consisting of six fielded panels with overlights in painted stone cases featuring eared architraves, pulvinated friezes, and triangular pediments. The overlights to numbers 5 and 7 have patterned glazing consisting of a concave lozenge within an ellipse; number 9's overlight features a pattern of four quadrants and two semicircles within the margin of the 12 panes of the central window. Flush sashes are present, with painted stone sills and rusticated wedge lintels; two of 12 panes to numbers 5 and 7, and three of 12 panes to number 9. Number 5 also incorporates a boarded rear access door, and number 7 includes a likely inserted small 12-pane sash matching the other windows. The second-storey sashes are 12-pane, and the shorter third-storey sashes are nine-pane. All sashes at number 5 have been replaced, and now include horns. A painted stone cornice sits beneath a four-course brick parapet with a simple stone cornice. Chimneys are positioned before the ridge between numbers 5 and 7, along the ridge between numbers 7 and 9, and on the gable of number 9. A vertical brick joint is located between numbers 7 and 9, marking the higher roofline. A rainwater pipe and head between numbers 5 and 7 is dated 1764 on a top butterfly bracket.

The rear of number 5 has a low, west-facing wing, along with two altered first-storey sashes, three flush 12-pane sashes with gauged brick arches and keystone to the second storey, and an inserted eight-pane sash. A flush six-pane attic window is located in the rear gable. Number 7 contains an added two-storey canted bay with an altered lower window, and three 12-pane flush sashes to the third storey, featuring gauged brick arches. A small two-pane light is present in the gable to the attic. Number 9, extended with number 11 to the rear, which is of later 19th and 20th century date, has flush sashes to the upper storeys on the west elevation.

The interiors were not inspected. Historical records indicate that the houses were constructed by leaseholders from the Dean and Chapter of Chester Cathedral.