A Block
A BLOCK, CASTLE SQUARE
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1271824
- Date first listed:
- 26-Feb-1985
- List Entry Name:
- A Block
- Statutory Address:
- A BLOCK, CASTLE SQUARE
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1271824
- Date first listed:
- 26-Feb-1985
- List Entry Name:
- A Block
- Statutory Address 1:
- A BLOCK, CASTLE SQUARE
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- A BLOCK, CASTLE SQUARE
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Cheshire West and Chester (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Chester Castle
- National Grid Reference:
- SJ 40492 65859
Details
SJ 4065 NE CHESTER CASTLE CASTLE SQUARE SJ 4065 NW 2/607 and 4/607 A Block
GV I
Barracks and Court of Exchequer. Now regimental museum of 22nd Cheshire Regiment. Dated GIIIR 1810 on two rainwater heads. By Thomas Harrison of Chester. Cuyper sandstone ashlar from the Manley quarries and Bunter sandstone ashlar having slate roofs, with lead flashings. Two-storey ranges forming three sides of a rectangular courtyard with enclosing wall. Facade facing Castle Square: 9 bays with high projecting plinth supporting monolithic ½-columns of Greek Doric form between bays and at the ends. These support a projecting plain entablature with parapet above resting on slightly projecting plinth and divided by projecting piers. Between the floors and set between the ½-columns is a series of plain panels with moulded surrounds forming a decorated band. Central ground floor double doorway with doors of 3 panels each with rectangular overlights. Shouldered surround and pedimental overdoor supported by fluted consoles which terminate in roundels. Ground floor sash windows to either side of 3 x 4 panes (as are all the ground floor windows of the block) with aedicular surrounds of compressed entablature supported by fluted consoles. First floor sash windows of 3 x 2 panes. Archway adjoining front at right and joining with lateral colonnade of Assize Courts block (q.v.) of rusticated stone with segmental arch. Dentilled cornice and central panel to parapet with moulded surround. Left hand end: three bays. Central double doors with fanlight over and fluted consoles supporting overdoor. Sash windows to either side of 3 x 4 panes. Panel with moulded surround between floors. Three first floor windows of 3 x 2 panes. Entablature above with plain undivided parapet above. To the left of this is a slightly recessed block of three bays with two ground floor windows. Plain band between floors and three first floor windows. Ashlar wall to left of this with slightly projecting plinth and moulded cresting, ramped at end nearest building. This wall continues forming a rectangular enclosure with a canted northern end. Gateway to centre of this northern end with slightly projecting surround and segmental head with voussoirs and projecting springers. Right hand end: three bays, ground floor windows of 3 x 4 panes, that at right originally a doorway. Panel with moulded surround between floors and entabla- ture and parapet as before. First floor windows of 3 x 2 panes. To right are 4 slightly recessed bays. Door to third bay from left with rectangular overlight. Plain band between floors. To the right is the enclosing courtyard wall, ramping up by the block. Double doors in this wall adjacent to block. Rear: ground floor of Bunter sandstone ashlar, upper floor of Cuyper sandstone. Six bays to centre with basement area below. Ground floor sash windows of 4 x 6 panes with doors to right and left. Similar windows to first floor with one of 3 x 4 panes to extreme left and one of 3 x 2 panes between the fourth and fifth bays. To either side are projecting wings of three inner-facing bays with ground floor sash windows of 4 x 6 panes to ground and first floors of right hand wing and one ground floor doorway to right of left hand wing with 2 sash windows to the first floor of 4 x 6 panes. To the left of this is an extension of 2 bays with blank walling to the ground floor and 2 sash windows of the 4 x 6 panes format to the first floor. Dated rainwater heads with plain downpipes to re-entrant angles of wings. Of major importance as an element in the composi- tion formed of the Assize Court Block, Propylaea and A and B Blocks.
Sources: Frank Simpson - "Chester Castle AD 907-1925". Journal of the Architectural, Archaeological and Historic Society, Chester and North Wales. New Series Vol.XXVI Part II.
Nikolaus Pevsner - The Buildings of England : Cheshire. and Edward Hubbard
J Mordaunt Crook - "The Architecture of Thomas Harrison". Country Life, 22 April 1971.
Moira A R Ockrim - "Thomas Harrison and the Rebuilding of Chester Castle: A History and Reassessment". Journal of the Chester Archaeological Society. Vol.66, 1983.
Listing NGR: SJ4049265862
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 452906
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Pevsner, N, Hubbard, E, The Buildings of England: Cheshire, (1971)
Journal of the Architectural Archaeological and Historic Society Chester and NWA in The Architectural Archaeological and Historic Society , Vol. 26, ()
Journal of the Chester Archeaological Society in Journal of the Chester Archeaological Society, (1983)
Country Life in 22 April, (1971)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 07-Jun-2026 at 22:07:47.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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