Bridge Street Row West

Walking and Audio Tour, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 1NN

Duration:10m - 30m

Distance:0.1 miles

Discover England’s oldest shopfront and step inside a grand house that recalls the time when Chester was a port and traded with foreign lands. This is also one of the locations where generations of shoemakers plied their trade…

How to use this route

This route is available to listen to as you walk by using the player above or you can follow it using the written guide available below. On the map below you will see a trail made up of numbered points. From the starting point (Number 1), follow along the marked route, making sure to stop and view the points along the way. There are blue map pins indicating points of interest, you can tap or click on these to find out more. When you come to the end of the route, you will see a blue map pin – tap or click on this to reveal more information about the next leg of the tour, and click again to go to the next leg’s route.

Want to find out more?

To delve deeper into The Rows, browse the local history publications in the Visitor Information Centre and public reference library in Storyhouse, both on Northgate Street. Guided tours are available with the Guild of Chester Tour Guides (https://chestertours.org.uk) and Roman Tours (https://romantoursuk.com). For information about disabled access, see www.accessable.co.uk/cheshire-west-and-chester/access-guides/rows.

Directions

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Map & Directions

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Route Waypoints

This quiet corner of the Rows is also home to one of Chester’s most historic buildings, the Three Old Arches (no 48). The trio of simple spans dates from 1274 and has a few claims to fame. The Three Old Arches is both part of the city’s only surviving medieval Row frontage and the largest known example of a stone-walled hall from the Middle Ages. It’s also believed to be England’s oldest shopfront.
Walk north below the low ceilings towards The Dutch Houses (nos 22-24), a trio of gabled buildings from the 17th century. This building’s sense of self-importance is illustrated by the jettied façade, which juts out over the street. The Dutch reference hints at Chester’s former role as a port – the Romans first established a harbour where you’ll now find the “Roodee” racecourse. By the time this house was built, Liverpool’s fortunes as a port were on the rise. Chester’s main business had been with Ireland, trading goods such as coal and cloth, but it began establishing routes with the Low Countries in an attempt to compete.
Continue along this Row and hop over two tiny bridges that cross the tops of Pierpoint Lane and Commonhall Street before returning to the intimate atmosphere created by the Row’s low-slung ceilings.
Step inside Suzie K’s (no 22), one of the Dutch Houses, and the friendly staff will show you some of the original features, including vast sandstone fireplaces and old timber beams with a seafaring tale to tell.
You are now passing through the area once known as the Corvisers’ Row, where shoemakers worked. It’s one of several areas of the Rows attributed to the trades. Continue and you will reach Watergate Corner where you can join the next part of our circular journey through the Chester Rows.