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The Rows (medieval galleries of Chester)

The Rows are covered, two-level galleries that form a second tier of shops above those at street level, along Eastgate Street, Watergate Street, Northgate Street and Bridge Street. Timber analysis places them in the 13th century, with a first record from 1293; by about 1350 the system would already have reached its full extent. Beneath many buildings there are stone undercrofts with rib vaults, of which about twenty survive. On Bridge Street, number 48, Three Old Arches, probably has the oldest stone shopfront identified in England, with arches dated to 1274; at number 12 on the same street, Cowper House preserves a six-bay undercroft. Many of the timber façades seen today are Victorian restorations, such as those of Bishop Lloyd's House. They start from the Cross, the city's central crossroads, and are reached by side staircases.

Things to do at The Rows (medieval galleries of Chester): 3 missions

• Walk a Row on Eastgate StreetClimb the stairs to the Eastgate Street gallery and walk along it to the Eastgate, looking down at the street from above.
• Spot Bishop Lloyd's House on WatergateGo to Watergate Street and find the timber-framed Bishop Lloyd's House. Look at its façade, restored around 1899.
• Find the Three Old Arches on Bridge StreetGo to 48 Bridge Street and look at the three stone arches of the shopfront, dated to 1274.

Near The Rows (medieval galleries of Chester)

Source: Web oficial - Visit Cheshire