Bridgegate is a part of the city walls in Chester, Cheshire, England. Bridgegate is located at the end of Bridge Street and was constructed in the late 1780s, replacing a medieval gate. It was designed by Joseph Turner, who also designed Water Gate. The original gatehouse on the site is thought to have existed as early as the 1120s.
Built in a neoclassical style using yellow sandstone ashlar, it features a segmental arch over the road and a round pedestrian archway in each abutment. The top of the structure has balustraded parapets on both sides of the footpath. The walls of Chester are largely medieval, with parts built on top of older Roman walls. Bridgegate is a later addition but still a significant part of the city's historical defences. There have been campaigns to improve signage for disabled people, as the ramp up to Bridgegate can lead to steps, causing difficulties for wheelchair users. The area around Bridgegate includes cobbled streets and other historic buildings, contributing to the charm of Chester.
It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building.[1]
The Roman city walls were extended to the south in the 12th century with a wall parallel to the north bank of the River Dee. This section of the wall incorporated the original Bridgegate which must have been built by the 1120s, as the office of sergeant of the gate was recorded in that decade. The gate guarded the southern entrance to the town; the road from North Wales ran through the gateway directly after crossing the Old Dee Bridge. It is possible that the gateway was rebuilt at the time the bridge was rebuilt in the later part of the 14th century. Between 1521 and 1624 the bridge tolls were controlled by the Talbot family, the Earls of Shrewsbury, whose town house, now the Bear and Billet, was nearby.
At the end of the 15th century the bridge consisted of a Gothic arch with a tower on each side. In 1600–01 a square tower was added which contained machinery for lifting river water into the town. This was known as John Tyrer's Water Tower, after its builder, but the tower was destroyed in the siege of Chester in 1644–65. The present bridge was built in 1781 for Chester City Corporation, the architect being Joseph Turner.
Chester city walls consist of a defensive structure built to protect the city of Chester. Their construction was started by the Romans when they established the fortress of Deva Victrix between 70 and 80 AD. It originated with a rampart of earth and turf surmounted by a wooden palisade. From about 100 AD they were reconstructed using sandstone, but were not completed until over 100 years later. Following the Roman occupation nothing is known about the condition of the walls until Æthelflæd refounded Chester as a burgh in 907. The defences were improved, although the precise nature of the improvement is not known. After the Norman conquest, the walls were extended to the west and the south to form a complete circuit of the medieval city. The circuit was probably complete by the middle of the 12th century.
Maintenance of the structure of the walls was an ongoing concern. They were further fortified before the Civil War, and were damaged during the war. Following this they ceased to have a defensive purpose, and were developed for leisure and recreation. The walls are now a major tourist attraction, and form an almost complete circuit of the former medieval city, with a total walkway length of 2.95 kilometres. Upkeep and repair of the walls continues to be a problem.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridgegate,_Chester
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chester_city_walls
