Grosvenor Street

Historic Grosvenor Street
Apart from the introduction of minor/mews roads servicing developments on the Greyfriars and Blackfriars sites, the layout of the intramural streets remained largely unaltered even in the later 18th century. Major change came only in 1829 when Grosvenor Street was built to link the new Grosvenor Bridge with the city centre; cutting diagonally through the existing street plan and isolating the eastern end of Cuppin Street and Bunce Street, it entailed the destruction of St Bridget's church. Castle Esplanade (formerly Nuns Road), which joined the new street in front of Chester Castle, was improved into a 'fine spacious way' at the same time. A roman vase was found on the site of the bank on Grosvenor Street and a terra-cotta while laying sewers, most likely an actor's mask from a theatre associated with the fortress.

North Side
The range of modern buildings ("Friars Gate") at the north end of Grosvenor Street, as far down as Cuppin STreet, seems like a bad choice for such a major junction. From around 1673 the site was that of the "Horse and Bags" later (before 1750) the site of the "White Horse Inn". In 1810 the White Horse Inn moved to Eastgate Street and the building became the "King's Head Hotel". It was eventually demolished in 1986 and replaced with the present office and shop development, which include a rather unsightly electricity sub-station.

Hughes writes of it as follows:


 * "The large and well conceived street upon the right hand is Grosvenor Street, capable, under proper management, of being made the finest street of the city. It is flanked on the right side by White Friars formerly Foster's Lane in which the Church and Monastery of that fraternity was at one time situate. At the junction of White Friars with Grosvenor Street stands that capital well conducted establishment the King's Head Inn. This is one of those quiet cosy looking houses in which the moment a traveller enters he feels himself "at home" and certainly under the presidency of Mr and Mrs Bedson he will find that - deny it who can! - domestic comforts are still to be enjoyed in an old English inn."

After Cuppin Street (which once extended to Lower Bridge Street) stands a tiny patch of grass. The footpath after this is the remnant of where Bunce Street once formed a junction with Cuppin Street.

16 Grosvenor Street
This is described in the historic buildings listing as "Town house, now conjunction with No.14 Grosvenor Street and Nos 1, 3 and 5 Cuppin Street, part of a restaurant." Actually, the restaurant in question has closed. Between these two incarnations this was the site of the "Fox and Barrel" pub as well as various retail ventures.

18 Grosvenor Street
Town house now office. Probably 1830s. Brown brick in Flemish bond to front; roof not visible. 2 storeys, double-fronted, symmetrical. Painted sandstone plinth; simple stone doorcase with pilasters, frieze and cornice; the windows are heavy-handed small-pane replacements in unaltered openings with stone sills and wedge lintels, 2 to lower storey and 3 to upper storey; painted stone sillband to upper storey; tall brick parapet with recessed panel above each window, moulded stone cornice and coping.