Old Crypt, Chester, Medieval bar and Grade I listed building in Chester, England
The Old Crypt is a five-story structure with sandstone and brick elements, topped by a grey slate roof on Watergate Street. The building displays a mix of construction styles across its different levels, with medieval foundations and later Georgian additions.
The building's foundations date from 1180 with two medieval undercrofts, while the upper floors were reconstructed in the Georgian style during 1744. This layering of different construction periods shows how the site was continuously adapted and rebuilt over centuries.
This establishment sits within the Chester Rows, a distinctive system of covered passageways that weave through the medieval city center. The building illustrates how people moved and worked within the layered streets of a medieval town.
The ground-level entrance displays 19th-century features, while gallery areas are accessed via wooden balconies supported by Tuscan columns. Visitors should be prepared to explore multiple levels, as different sections are situated at varying heights throughout the structure.
The medieval undercrofts beneath the building contain two separate naves divided by four bays and supported by octagonal columns. This structural arrangement reflects advanced construction techniques that were developed during the early medieval period.
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