Tudor House
Picture: Not Known
About this image:
Tudor House, Lower Bridge Street circa.1900.
The publication 2000 Years of building states:
This house only earns its 'Tudor' name by a hairsbreadth, for it probably dates from the year of Elizabeth 1sts death when James 1st became our 1st Stuart King. The plaque dated 1503 above the door, should read 1603. The timber framed house was extended to the rear in the mid 17th century and the front was rebuilt in 1728, when the Row walk through its second storey was enclosed. The location of the former Row and Stall (behind the three early 18th century sash windows) can still be seen from the position of the timbers embedded in its south side. The front door has a Tudor arched case, the third and forth storeys are jettied forward and have leaded mullioned and transomed casements.
Originally built for a wealthy Chester merchant, Tudor House, like many of its contemporaries has had a variety of uses in its time. The two undercrofts at street level are now united as a single shop but were once quite separate. One was a bakehouse while the other was the Britannia Inn with rooms above and, apparently in the neighbouring building (33 Lower Bridge street) when the two were linked together by a bridge which was a continuation of the Row walkway.
Image Description:
Tudor House This is a view of the east side of Lower Bridge Street. There is a continuous row of buildings in different styles and materials. On the right hand side there is a brick building with sash windows. The top has been cut off by the camera. The windows are tall and one of the two on the third storey is open at the bottom. On the second storey the windows have white curtain behind the lower panes. At ground level there is a door on the left, another window and a second door. The detail is not clear. In front of the building is a low metal railing with a gate set in it. To the left of this is another similar brick building but fixed to the front, between the windows, is a bracket with a large barrel hanging from it. At ground level there is a fascia board with the words WALKERS WARRINGTON ALES in white on a black ground. There is a door on the left and two windows with goods displayed within. There is no railing to this building. Then there is a timber-framed building. The top of the gable has been cut off. Set within the gable are rows of square black timbers on a white ground. The top row has only a small portion of the pattern showing. The next row down has four white squares in the middle with a triangle of diagonal stripes on each site. The bottom row has six squares with the diamond pattern and diagonal stripes in the two sections at the edge of the gable. Below this is a black beam which jetties out slightly over the wall below. Immediately below the beam, in the centre, is a window, which has three frames each with a number panes (about 16). Immediately to the right of the window is a narrow strip of white ground. Under the window is a row of white arches on a black background. To either side of the window there are black rectangles with wavy black lines of timber going across. This storey jetties out slightly above the one below, being separated from it by a black beam. On the third storey there are panels to either side of the same wavy timbers. In the middle there is a pair of windows. Each has three smaller frames at the top and three longer rectangular frames underneath. Below the window is a row of white squares. At the second and ground level the building is dark grey. There are three sash windows at the second storey and at ground level a window then a door, a second window and a second door. Within the windows there are rows of small items. In front of the building is a lamp standard with a bracket and a globe lamp. To the left of this building is another brick building. It has a flat roof with a small chimney on the left and a small gable set behind. Below the flat roof there are two square blind windows. On the fourth, third and second floors there is a pair of sash windows. To the right of the window, on the second storey, there is a sign, which is white above and black below with white shapes on the black. In front of the window there are some figures, a woman and a girl and a man. They are in Victorian costume. At the ground level there is a shop front with to the left of that a tall arched entrance. The next building is also of brick but not quite as high. It has a flat roof and on the fourth storey there are two windows. On the third and second storeys are three tall sash windows. At the ground level there is a shop awning obscuring the shop window. There is another black and white building with a gable and a grey roof. There is a bay window at the second storey level. Then a building which may be of stone. It has a flat roof and a chimney with a roof ridge behind the chimney. This building has two windows on each of the second, third and fourth storeys. The ground floor is obscured by a cart parked on the left of the road with is piled high with hay. There are four more buildings made of stone or brick, all with windows, which probably have sash openings. In the foreground there is a piece of pavement in the bottom left hand corner, which is made of paving slabs. There is an indistinct figure on the left. This side of the road surface is in shadow but appears to be made of cobbles or sets. The road on the other side is tarmac but in a poor state of repair. The pavement on the far side has a light surface but in front of the building with the barrel and the timber-framed building there is a strip of rough, dark surface.