Northgate, Chester
Northgate | |
|---|---|
Northgate | |
| Coordinates | 53°11′38″N 2°53′36″W / 53.193822°N 2.893366°W |
| Carries | Chester city walls |
| Crosses | Northgate Street |
| Locale | Chester, Cheshire, England |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Arch bridge |
| Material | Sandstone |
| History | |
| Designer | Thomas Harrison |
| Opened | 1810 |
| Statistics | |
| Toll | None |
| Location | |
Interactive map of Northgate | |
185yds
Amphi-
theatre
and Roman Chester
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.[2]
History
The present Northgate stands on the site of the original northern Roman entrance to Chester.[3] 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.[4] The present Northgate was built in 1810 to replace a medieval gatehouse and was designed by Thomas Harrison for Chester City Council.[2]
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.[2][5] In constructing Northgate, Harrison used "as few and as huge stones as possible".[5]
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Cheshire West and Chester
- List of works by Thomas Harrison
- Bridgegate, Chester
- Eastgate, Chester
References
Citations
- ^ "The walls, towers, gates and posterns of the City of Chester". Historic England. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
- ^ a b c Historic England & 1376370.
- ^ Ward 2009, p. 7.
- ^ Ward 2009, p. 39.
- ^ 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