Nortgate St Pictures

NORTHGATE STREET

Although one of the principal shopping streets and a main thoroughfare, it is so narrow at its southerly extremity that one-way traffic has been instituted between the Cross and St. Werburgh Street, north-bound traffic passing up Northgate Street, and south-bound traffic down St. Werburgh Street.

Northgate Row East is of short extent, but extremely quaint, while in the cellar of No. 14 below, are the remains of a Roman hypocaust.

The Row on the west side was formerly similar to the other ancient Rows but assumed its present form when rebuilt in 1897. In the cellar of No. 23 are some most interesting remains of the Roman Praetorium which extended from this point as far south as the Cross. These consist of the bases, in situ , of some of the columns, while the ends of the columns themselves project from the sides of the cellar and have remained undisturbed since they fell from their bases many centuries ago.

Halfway along, the street opens out into the Market Square, containing the Public Market, the Town Hall and the King's School.On the right, beyond the King's School, is the Abbey Gateway, which was in existence in 1377, and further on, the Little Abbey Gateway, both giving access to Abbey Square. During the Midsummer Fair a statue of Hugh Lupus, to whom the fair owed its origin, used to be placed in one of the niches on the Market Square side of the Gateway.

On the left, past the Little Abbey Gateway, stands the old Pied Bull, which in 1471 was called " The Bull Inn," and in 1784 became the terminus for the Liverpool coaches; it is probably the oldest existing licensed house in Chester, and contains a fine oak staircase and oak-panelled rooms.