3 Old Arches
Picture: W J George
About this image:
The publication 2000 Years of building states:
This building has perhaps the earliest shop front to survive in England. The 13th century stone frontage of the undercroft and Row storeys is still clearly visible, though now framed by newer brickwork. The undercroft has a central doorway with a window opening at each side, surmounted by three chamfered stone archways to the Row walkway.
Early 14th century enlargements took in two plots to the south, one of whose undercrofts survives. Behind the Row are parts of the largest example in Chester of a medieval stone walled hall, set parallel with the Row. For much of the 20th century the shop below the Three Old Arches was the well known and much admired "William Jones" ? high-class grocers. Owen Owen took over in the 1960s and amalgamated the premises with those of Richard Jones next door. Nevertheless, the smell of freshly roasted coffee, cooked meat and cheeses continued to waft from the doorway until closure in January 1999. The premises have since been refurbished and sub-divided including the new steps up to the Row just south of the Three Old Arches.
Image Description:
This black and white photograph is a close-up of the front of the "Three Old Arches" building showing the arches in detail.
At that time the front of the building had been attractively painted in deep blue, with the windows, the window reveals, the rainwater goods and the railings in the arches themselves (at Row level) all picked out in white. Above the actual arches the words "Three Old Arches" was writen in gold coloured Gothic style lettering about 700mm high, together with the date "1274 AD" -(duplicated at the top of each of the columns between the arches).