3–31 Northgate Street

The row at 3-31 Northgate Street comprises timber-framed structures housing shops, offices, and a public house beneath covered walkways. Medieval sandstone undercrofts sit beneath the Victorian facades, creating layers of construction beneath street level.

The structures were built between 1898 and 1903 during Chester's Victorian expansion, designed by architects including John Douglas. This construction period shaped Northgate Street into the commercial center it remains today.

The buildings display hand-carved musicians in Elizabethan dress and a painted portrait of Edward VII on their decorated upper floors. These ornamental details reflect the pride craftspeople took in their work during the period.

Ground floor retail spaces have modern shop fronts, while upper levels house offices with separate access points. The covered walkways provide shelter during rain and make it easy to browse and move between shops.

Roman columns preserved in the cellar beneath number 23 connect the Victorian buildings to Chester's ancient Roman foundations. This hidden layer reveals how different historical periods sit stacked beneath the street.