Carries Chester city walls Design Arch bridge Toll None Location Chester Material Sandstone Architect Thomas Harrison | Crosses Northgate Street Designer Thomas Harrison Opened 1810 Bridge type Arch bridge Cross Northgate Street | |
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Locale Chester, Cheshire, England Similar Chester Northgate railway st, Bridge of Sighs - Chester, Chester city walls, Bridgegate - Chester, Watergate - Chester | ||
The Northgate is 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.
Contents
History
The present Northgate stands on the site of the original northern Roman entrance to Chester. 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. The present Northgate was built in 1810 to replace a medieval gatehouse and was designed by Thomas Harrison for Chester City Council.
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. In constructing Northgate, Harrison used "as few and as huge stones as possible".