City Road

History


In 1848 on the opening of Chester Station a broad strip of open land extended from the frontage building to the canal. To the west of this area, 19th century housing development had spread only as far as Francis Street. To the east the Leadworks would have dominated along with the adjoining Georgian house for Mr Walker the proprietor (now known as Queen House). Between the leadworks and the site of City Road were the extensive private walled gardens to Queen House. These terminated in a long garden wall on the alignment of City Road but located some way to the east. Between Francis Street and the walled garden, Gerrard Street followed an alignment that appears to coincide with the present access road to the rear of properties on the western side of City Road. At this time it is noted to be a "footway to the City" and appears not to have been developed. In his Stranger's Guide of 1859 Thomas Hughes comments on the route from the station to the City by Brook Street saying that:


 * "its many parts inconveniently narrow, abounding in sharp curves and unsightly proportions and certainly nowise equal to the continually increased traffic".

The relationship between Chester's stations and the core of the historic city has presented difficulties of integration from the outset. Initially Chester Station lay entirely in open allotments and paddocks beside the important Warrington turnpike. Passing through the cattle market, Brook Street failed to provide the grand and prestigious link to which the City fathers aspired. City Road was laid out in the midd-1860's to create a more formal and befitting approach to both the City and Chester's principal railway station, with vistas of the Railway Station frontage. At its opposite southern end there would have been an alignment to the proposed spire that would have completed the Catholic Church of St Werburghs (but was never built). At an intermediate point the spire of the Methodist Central Hall located beside the canal at the most elevated part of street would have provided a similar intermediate focal point. Intended as an impressive boulevard in the continental tradition, the vision was only partly fulfilled: whilst at the junction with Station Road buildings of stature were constructed, elsewhere construction was sporadic and of variable architectural quality. As the canal bridge was not completed until 1863 it seems the construction of the road was somewhat protracted. From the station to the canal City Road was laid out through entirely undeveloped land. Beyond the canal its alignment cut through the pre existing pattern of streets.



City Road was intended to be a new commercial quarter to the City with hotels, offices, shops and some private residences. Although by 1878 the road was established as one of the city's principal tram routes, its development was slow and faltering. It began promisingly enough flanked by the imposing Queen and Queen Commercial Hotels but the western side of the street below the canal bridge only became relatively fully developed by the turn of the 20th century, whilst at this time the eastern frontage comprised only two buildings. Aside from the set piece architecture of the important late Victorian Westminster Hotel and the landmark gothic spired Wesleyan Methodist Central Hall of 1872 which (now demolished) stood high above the canal on the eastern side of the street, most of the remainder of the street was developed on a piecemeal basis with substantial three storey buildings on its western side. Where, beyond the canal bridge City Road cut through pre-existing streets development and rebuilding took place more quickly, and in part with a good deal of architectural style. The entrance to the street at The Bars is defined on its eastern side by the fine stone building originally built for the Liverpool Union Bank to the design of T M Lockwood and beyond this the row of fine timber framed vernacular revival buildings of 1900 also by Lockwood. Beyond this the recently demolished Royalty Theatre was constructed in 1882, but was at the time described as "being devoid of any effect". The prominent former boot and shoe manufactory, presumably built soon after the completion of City Road terminates this block. To replace an early nonconformist octagonal chapel that lay on the alignment of City Road, a new Presbyterian Church and Sunday School were constructed in 1865 on the western side of the street between The Bars and the canal bridge. With the 1970’s clearances for the ring road this group of buildings now defines the western entry to City Road. Many of the problems of the station area today are a consequence of this historic legacy. The abandonment of the city's tram system in the inter-war years, combined with declining post-war fortunes of the Edwardian hotels that lined its route diminished the relevance of the City Road link. The construction of Hoole Way and the inner ring, respectively bypassing Brook Street and severing it from the City centre further isolated the station from the City, whilst the relocation of the cattle market greatly diminished the economic vitality of the link via Brook Street. In the post war years the relevance of railways for both passenger and goods traffic diminished.

Architecture
The architectural character of City Road is rather mixed. This reflects the great length of time over which the street became fully developed, and the unfortunate demolitions, particularly those on the western side of the street for the mediocre Job Centre (a typical piece of 1980s work from the Property Services Agency), and those on the eastern side of the street with the clearance of the landmark Methodist Central Hall beside the canal bridge. Despite this the street retains the general air of a late 19th century street of some importance. The late Victorian/Edwardian buildings use Ruabon brick accented with hints of the local vernacular tradition. The Westminster Hotel is particularly handsome with timber framed and shaped brick gables, together with copper and slate clad terminal cupula turrets. The adjacent Belgrave Hotel is of much simpler composition but like the Westminster sports good quality Ruabon brick and moulded timber casements partially leaded. Perhaps the most distinctive contribution to this frontage is made by Kinnard House a handsome rough cast building of 1896 with decorative pargeting. Along with many other buildings on this part of the street, it would appear that when constructed they were intended to have ground floor retail units which with the exception of a single unit do not ever appear to have served this function. These buildings feature common themes including one or two storey oriel windows, timber framed elements, hipped or timber framed gables, sashes and moulded timber casements.



The eastern side of the street, with the sole exception of the heavily gothic late Victorian Meyer House presents a complete contrast comprising mid 20th century buildings which do not yet completely fill the street frontage. Notable buildings include the good quality concrete tower of seven storeys originally known as North West House, and now forming part of the Queen Hotel. Its basic cladding is in brick, relieved to the main elevation by narrow full height glazing and to the side, street elevation by a broad projecting full height panels of alternating glazed and solid curtain walling infill. Closer to the canal the once "Royal Bank of Scotland building" is in a "department store Georgian style" with Portland stone detailing to a brick façade.

The canal bridge of 1863 retains its strong and simple cast iron balustrade, however with the exception of the secondary span over Canalside the structural components have been replaced with concrete beams.

Beyond the canal bridge towards The Bars the buildings are more typically mid Victorian using predominantly machine made red/brown brick. Most are rather ordinary with the exception of nos 12 & 21 with a finely detailed timber veranda with a decorative tile dado, and the simple but robust former boot and shoe manufactory, which presents an impressive 4 storeys to the canal. This end of the street also has several set piece buildings. Lockwood's former Liverpool Union Bank is an impressive corner building at the junction with Boughton. It is executed in yellow sandstone in a Baroque style with pedimented mullion and transom stone windows with leaded lights. The roof features belvederes capped with cupolas.

Adjoining the former bank 4-10 City Road comprises an impressive range of late Victorian timber framed buildings which are a particularly fine example of the vernacular revival. They feature four prominent jettied gables with herringbone and shaped timber framework. The first floor is close studded with fine timber framed oriel windows with leaded lights. On the opposite side of the street the English Presbyterian Church of Wales is executed in a classical style with Ionic detailing in stucco. In contrast the adjoining former Sunday School is executed in a Gothic style and is in rock-faced stonework.

Listed (and other buildings)
There are only five listed buildings in City Road.

Queen Commercial Hotel, formerly The Albion, now Town Crier
Former hotel of 1865 in Italianate style built as a more humble subsidiary to the Queen Hotel proper and originally in the same ownership. The building has two storeys with a quadrant corner at City Road / Station Road junction and a principal frontage of 10 bays to Station Road. The walls have stuccoed render with rustication to "area" basement and plinth. There is a heavy modillioned cornice to the first floor. The bays are divided by pilasters, with each bay having "2-over-2" sashes with round heads. The former hotel, now pub, entrance is on City Road and has double 2-panel doors in an Ionic case with a "green man and beasts" in the spandrels; ornate upper panels to pilasters, keystone and frieze. The is a low (almost flat) pitched slate roof concealed by the parapet. Original spearheaded iron railings line the frontage on stone kerbs. The south face to the lawn is brick and has a verandah of 8 cast-iron basket arches with openwork spandrels.



The pub-sign is now plain, but for many-years was a fairly faithful depection of Mike Chittenden, Chester's Town Crier from 1981-92. Mike eventually resigned after becoming infatuated with a local news-paper reporter and setting himself on fire when she rejected his advances.

The Queen Commercial Hotel was originally linked to the Queen Hotel proper by an underground passageway (now bricked-up apart from a few feet at one end). This would enable "Commercial Travellers" staying at the less expensive hotel to reach the Queen Hotel without being seen. The Albion Hotel moved here in 1867 from Bridge Street.


 * Wikipedia

Number 63: Westminster Hotel.
A large late Victorian Hotel: 3 storey plus a large attic storey This building has a longitudinal slate roof, hipped to gables on both elevations and most of the original chimney stacks seem to survive. The street frontage to City Road is of seven bays, to the unsigned Tramway Street (now Crewe Street) five bays. The northern end wall is plain and was intended to have another building abutting (where the car-park is and previously the site of a bowling green). The north end of the City Road elevation has a copper clad hexagonal cupola on heavily moulded posts infilled in part with lead lights, others have replaced – and appear to have been an outlook gallery structure, expressed below as oriel to 1st and 2nd floors. The nearby Queen Hotel also had observation towers prior to a fire soon after it was built.



The three central bays of triple timber framed gables are of close-studded work with herringbone pattern to the apexes. Corner bay to Crewe Street has a hexagonal cupola with a slate roof structure expressed as three segments to ground floor. The City Road elevation is of Ruabon brick with little adornment except at wall head which has a pargetted band of scroll work, but has five, two-storey timber framed oriels to 1st and 2nd floors: these are box-framed with elliptical heads. Windows are moulded timber with leaded casements and transoms, mostly of four elements with middle two having curved transom. The area below the transom has a replaced top hung swivels in the central part of windows. The corner bay to Tramway Street has two-element windows with only one original remaining. Tramway Street elevation is all of Ruabon brick with plain detailing other than tall shaped gables, one single bay and to last three bays a single large shaped gable with three gables peaks. The windows have timber casements in moulded frames – many have been replaced.

One somewhat amusing feature of the City Road frontage is the small but clearly signposted "tradesmens entrance" in the middle of the frontage which presumably leads to steps down to the cellars.

Chester Tramways Company operated an horse-drawn tramway service in Chester between 1878 and 1901. Services started on 10 June 1878 with a route between Chester Station and Chester Castle. This was extended to Curzon Street, Saltney on 21 June 1879. Under the Chester Corporation Act of 1901, the council took up its option to purchase the assets of the company. In 1903 horse drawn trams were replaced by electric ones. The last trams ran in Chester in 1930.


 * The trams in Chester

Number 61: Belgrave Hotel.
A medium-sized late Victorian/Edwardian Hotel. It is three storey and has a longitudinal slate roofs, on which most stacks seem to survive. It has five bays to City Road and two principal and three secondary bays to Crewe Street. The hotel is in Ruabon brick with little adornment except a prominent pentice roof above the 1st floor to City Road and two return bays to Crewe Street. The 1st floor to City road has three oriel windows below the pentice roof. The windows have moulded timber casements with cornices to their heads.

Both this and the previous building follow a common theme in Chester of naming things after the Grosvenors. Belgrave is a historical village at the entrance to Eaton Hall (residence of the Duke of Westminster). It consists of a few houses and a large thriving Grosvenor Garden Centre. The village is also one of the Duke of Westminster's subsidiary titles, Viscount Belgrave. Belgravia in London also takes its name from this peerage. Most of the area in the capital was once owned by Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster, who had it developed from the 1820s. The land was the marriage portion to Sir Thomas Grosvenor, 3rd Baronet (20 November 1655 – 2 July 1700) which the guardians of the twelve-year-old Mary Davies were able to offer the young Cheshire baronet and consisted of some five hundred acres of land, mostly meadow and pasture, a short distance from the western fringes of built-up London. Not all of this was to be available in immediate possession and the income from the land was at that time relatively small, but its potential for future wealth was realized even then.


 * A travel blog inspired by the Belgrave Hotel with a perhaps "over the top" set of T&C's;

Job Centre.
Typical Property Service Agency 1980 build, modernist-style brick with some relief, metal-clad mansard roof. In the area characterisation study (2008) it was stated that it "..does not respond well to the prevailing character of the area.." and that "..the building is unsightly and terminates the vista from Queen's Road.." In May 2017 permission was finally given, after a protracted planning process, for it to be demolished and replaced by a care home for the elderly. Conservative council member for adult social care Cllr Jill Houlbrook said: "The building has been empty for too long and really has become an eyesore on City Road". As Modernist building go this is actually not a particularly bad example.



49, 51 & 53 Kinnard House.
Late Victorian "arts and crafts" build of 1899 apparently intended as retail units with dwellings above. However, the usage is likely to have always been wholly residential. On three storeys with a large attic storey under a longitudinal slate roof with three bays projecting to gables. Overall there are four bays, with two gabled bays to the south an a single gabled bay to the north. The intermediate bay is recessed to form a first floor balcony except to ground floor. The gabled bays are in rough cast, with brick quoins and bands, aprons and pediment panels with scroll motif and date panels. The floor has oriel windows on coved projections with scroll pargetting. The intermediate bay and ground floor walls are of Ruabon brick (except the rendered central bay). The intermediate bay has coved eaves with pargetting in scroll work. Planted multipane timber casements have cornices, and the casements are in powder coated aluminium, 2nd floor window and intermediate bay windows are multipane, oriel windows are multipane above transom and plain below.

The ground floor has three slightly recessed panels one to each unit (as if intended to be shop units) with rendered fascia panels above. Paired accesses in intermediate bay comprises matching doors beneath arched brick heads, four panel doors, with vertically subdivided fan light above. To south and intermediate bay there are "two-over-two" sashes. However the northern bay has a larger casement with moulding and a curved transom, possibly suggesting use (or intended use) as a public house at one time.

Number 47
This is a Victorian/Edwardian retail unit with living accommodation above. Of single build, over two bays of three storeys with attic. It has a longitudinal slate roof, and a tiered stack. The walls are of Ruabon brick with head and cill bands. Each two storey half hexagonal brick oriel sits on a heavily moulded base and has a hipped slate roof. The other bay has single "two-over-two" sashes. The ground floor has a shop front with a separate entrance doorway. The building has an overall rendered fascia with three moulded consol brackets. The shop front has three Tudor headed windows on slim timber columns, and a rendered stall. The shop front has been mutilated to create a ground floor flat unit.



Number 45
Unit of single build late Victorian/Edwardian "Mock-Tudor" house on three storeys with attic. It has a longitudinal slate roof, with one large and one small gable both with timber framing. Below the large gable is a two story oriel window of rectangular form on the second floor and half hexagonal form on the first floor, also timber framed with circular and elipitical patterns. The oriel has casements to other bay, and "one-over-one" sashes replaced on the second floor. The ground floor has recent alterations, elongate window and separate entrance but the original stone window cill survives.

Numbers 43, 41, 39 Stafford Hotel (since renamed).
A late Victorian/Edwardian single build of three similar properties, apparently built as three shop units but likely never used as such. The three properties have been linked together to form a hotel. Detailing is very similar to Number 47. It has a three storey Ruabon brick front with a longitudinal slate roof containg attics and with truncated stacks. Each unit of is of two bays one with half hexagonal two storey brick oriel window rising from moulded stucco plinth. The “shop fronts” feature is a built in fascia with console brackets below which is a brick infill inset by corbelling below fascia. Ground floor has tripartite sashes in this infill. The ground floor front has been altered to provide for the hotel entrance and the original doorways have been rather crudely bricked-up.

Number 37
Late Victorian "Mock-Tudor" house detailed exactly as Number 45 but retains original domestic ground floor treatment comprising a tripartite "two-over-two" sashes with stone heads and cills. The entrance doorway has a dentillated stone head, stepped upwards to form date panel of 1896. The house has a door and panel comprising two lower panels two middle panels and an elliptically shaped top panel, with fanlight above.

Numbers 35/33
A pair of late Victorian/Edwardian houses of one build on three storeys with a large attic, in four bays overall, symmetrically arranged. The two central bays have six panel entrance doors detailed exactly as Number 37 these are flanked by tripartite sashes also matching Number 37. The outer bays have single storey splayed oriel windows on the first floor with hipped slate roofs, they feature timber framing with fleur-de-lys patterning, and have moulded timber mullion and transom windows with iron casements. Windows in the central bays are eight over one sashes with an overall brick relieving arch with herringbone in the infill below. The central two bays have an attic gable, flanked by small gables on the outer bays both jettied and with close studded timber frame: all have eight over one sashes. There is a longitudinal slate roof with truncated stacks.

The following building is a modern apartment complex in part on the site of the former "Jolly Miller" public house which was in Leadwworks Lane (which passes under the bridge) and was demolished in 1997.

Number 29
Eaton Hotel. Simple mid to late Victorian house, painted brick 3 storeys, 2 bays to street, with long elevation to canal of, 4 storeys with 5 bays. Simple building to City Road windows have stone head and hood mould with bracketed cills dentillated eaves 2 over 2 sashes.

Number 31
Eaton Hotel. 3 storey simple mid to late Victorian house, painted brick, hipped slate roof, stacks survive with square terracotta pots, ground floor windows have moulded head 2 over 2 sashes. Mid to late Victorian shop with accommodation, single bay, machine made red brown brick with blue band courses, dentillated     eaves in brick. 2 over 2 sashes, modern tiled shop front.

23 / 25 / 27
Gate of India & Theatre Shop. Mid to late Victorian retail unit with living accommodation over, one build of 4 bays. Machine made red brown brick with blue bands, stone heads and cills to windows 2 outer bays with 2 over 2 sashes two inner bays with lower sashes 2 indifferent modern shop fronts, longitudinal slate roof stack with square terracotta pots.

17
Sunday School of 1880 of rock faced yellow sandstone in gothic style.

19 / 21
Nu Wok Restaurant. Late Victorian/Edwardian in “colonial style”, shop with living accommodation above. Longitudinal slate roof, truncated stacks 3 storeys and 4 bays to 1st floor. Elaborate oriel windows to outer bays with linking veranda to central bays, all rising from moulded base and with overall pitched pentice roof of slate. To oriels timber casement window between turned columned mullions. Veranda has ornate spandrel brackets in timber and balustrade of turned balusters. Veranda and exterior wall flanking oriels have dado of polychromatic patterned tiles. 2 over 2 sashes to top floor.

English Presbyterian Church of Wales
By M Gummau of 1864 stucco frontage to street, brick elsewhere slate roof behind parapets. Classical Ionic frontage comprising portico with 4 columns. Simple cast iron railings on stone plinth. To side and rear elevation in brick with curved end wall to chancel. Multipane round headed timber windows.

Queen Hotel
Hotel of 1860 damaged by fire in 1861 and rebuilt in 1862. Originally three storeys with tower, rebuilt after fire as four storey building. Four storeys with basement and ground floor in stucco with rusticated detail to basement. Spearheaded railing on sandstone kerb to street. To ground floor each bay defined by ornate pilaster and in each panel a round arched window opening, with cillband on consol brackets with ornate architrave and keystone to windows. Corinthian columned entrance porch accessed by rusticated half arched bridge across basement lightwell. 2nd and 3rd floors in brick with rendered detailing including rusticated quoins, cill, bands and eared architrave to segmental window heads, but former tower at 3rd floor level in stucco rendered. Windows with two over two sashes, tripartite windows above entrance porch and to quadrant at junction of Station and City Roads. Ornate wrought iron bracket for hanging sign to City Road.

North West House
Former North West Securities HQ. elegant 1960s tower of 7 storeys – brick clad, with curtain wall glazing panels in part. Short elevation to street frontage with strong vertical emphasis provided by full height continuous window slots, set in projected concrete frame, tiled panels below each window.

42
Meyer House on corner with Queens Road. Late Victorian office with workshops to rear. 2 storey, 3 bays to City Road, steeply pitched slate roof to provide attic accommodation. Roof longitudinal with two projecting hipped and dormered bays with oriels below. Ruabon brick rising from moulded stone plinth. Symmetrically arranged about central entrance. At 1st floor, oriel windows to either side of entrance bay supported on prominent corbel brackets, oriels linked by balcony on similar brackets, above entrance doorway. Elevation features prominent gothic columns flanking recessed entrance to front door and to windows to ground floor. Four element windows each divided by 4 columns on ground floor, and to oriels 4 elements with flanking columns and one central column. Windows timber casements, 9 panel door. Attic has 3 dormers with glazed cheeks, to outer bays dormer roof is hipped and projects forward of the hip to the main roof. To central bay a catslide dormer.

40
Showroom early 20th century. 2 storey and 6 bays longitudinal slate roof simple composition, each bay defined by simple brick pier, ground floor fully glazed direct to brickwork. 1st floor render with 4 oriels and 2 plain windows overall. 38 1970's office block. Vacant lot. 1930s or immediate post war 2 storey building of domestic appearance elements of timber frame jettied hipped roof. Vacant lot. 36 HBOS. North West Securities Building. Office with workshops behind originally for Bradleys Clothing Manufacturers. Inter war build in “department store” Georgian. Brick within Portland stone detailing. 3 principle bays each divided into 3 sub bays, separated by brick pilasters. Tripartite windows. Portland Stone to ground floor rustic brick above with heavy Portland bands and cornice. Single storey shack-like building. Vacant, site of demolished Victorian Central Methodist Hall beside canal bridge.

Beyond canal bridge
32 30 28 26 Mid Victorian boot and shoe manufactory with retail to City Road frontage. 4 storeys and 10 bays to Canal Side 3 and 12 bays to City Road. Simple but well detailed, mill like brick building with tall narrow windows between slender brick piers, stone cill bands and heads to windows, wide band below, 3rd floor, likely to have displayed advertisement/proprietors name, stone cornice with leaded parapet blocking course. Hipped slate roof, stacks. Windows to canal side elevation multipane iron of 3 x 5 panes with small swivel opening light in stepped reveal. To City Road 2 over 2 sashes, single reveal to 1st and stepped reveal to 2nd floors. City Road has 4 shop units each with surviving heavy cornice, and panelled pilasters with Corinthian capitals supporting twin consol brackets all in plaster work. Most shop fronts have some elements or original material surviving 30 retains original frame, symmetrical with central flush door and to either side single plate glass panes with radiused corners. 28 / 26, the restaurant has shop fronts surviving but partly concealed behind modern deep fascia, central panelled doors survive. Site of Royalty Theatre 4-10 City Road 4 shops with living accommodation above of 1900. A fine example of Chester’s timber framed vernacular revival by T M Lockwood, 3 storey, sandstone plinths and detailing in Ruabon brick, tiled roof. 4 prominent jettied gables, with small framed panels and alternating shaped panels with herringboning, gables have moulded bargeboards and drop finials. 1st floor close studded frame and below each gable are oriel windows, to outer two bays canted and to inner two bays bowed, all with 4 light mullion and transom windows with leaded lights. 1st floor is jetted above ground floor. Ground floor shop fronts with intermediate stone piers with timber consol brackets. Shop fronts of plate glass with single large pane, recessed entrance with canted single pane window. 2 Former Liverpool Union Bank later Williams Deacon Bank of 1892 by T M Lockwood of yellow sandstone ashlar masonry with red clay tile roof, executed in late 16th century Baroque style, 3 storeys with attic. 3 bays to Boughton and 3 to City Road. Canted corner to City road junction with belvedere with copper copola on Doric columns. Pedimented gables to each street with balastraded parapets between cupulas and gables, hipped and shaped gables to end walls. Mullion and transome stone windows and timber cross casement windows all with leaded lights. Entrance door to City Road is pair of six panel doors with fanlight above with pediment above with armorial shield.

sources and links

 * [Chester Station Gateway Design Guide - March 2008]