Northgate, Chester

Northgate
Northgate
Coordinates53°11′38″N 2°53′36″W / 53.193822°N 2.893366°W / 53.193822; -2.893366
CarriesChester city walls
CrossesNorthgate Street
LocaleChester, Cheshire, England
Characteristics
DesignArch bridge
MaterialSandstone
History
DesignerThomas Harrison
Opened1810
Statistics
TollNone
Location
Map

The Northgate is a gate located in Chester, Cheshire, England, where it carries the city walls footpath over Northgate Street (grid reference SJ404666). It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building.[1]

History

The present Northgate stands on the site of the original northern Roman entrance to Chester.[2] During the medieval period, it was unimportant and it was used only for local access. At that time it consisted of a simple rectangular tower with a narrow gateway. It later was the site of the local gaol.[3] The present Northgate was built in 1810 to replace a medieval gatehouse and was designed by Thomas Harrison for Chester City Council.[1]

Architecture

It is built in pale red sandstone ashlar and consists of a segmental arch with a coffered soffit which spans the carriageway. On each side of the arch is a rectangular portal for the pavement. On both sides of the portals are attached unfluted monolithic Doric half-columns at each corner. Across the top of the structure is a dentilled cornice which carries a panelled parapet.[1][4] In constructing Northgate, Harrison used "as few and as huge stones as possible".[4]

See also

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c Historic England & 1376370.
  2. ^ Ward 2009, p. 7.
  3. ^ Ward 2009, p. 39.
  4. ^ a b Hartwell et al. 2011, p. 252.

Sources

  • Hartwell, Clare; Hyde, Matthew; Hubbard, Edward; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2011) [1971], Cheshire, The Buildings of England, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, ISBN 978-0-300-17043-6
  • Ward, Simon (2009). Chester: A History. Chichester: Phillimore. ISBN 978-1-86077-499-7.
  • Historic England, "The Northgate, Chester (1376370)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 18 September 2011