A BLOCK

List Entry Summary

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Location

A BLOCK, CASTLE SQUARE

The building may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

Legacy System Information

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Asset Groupings

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List entry Description

Summary of Building

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Reasons for Designation

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History

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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

Selected Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, Hubbard, E, The Buildings of England: Cheshire, (1971)
'Country Life' in 22 April, (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)

National Grid Reference: SJ 40492 65859

Map

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