2–18 St Werburgh Street, Chester

Chester City Council decided to widen St Werburgh Street, which leads from Eastgate Street to Chester Cathedral, and arranged for the demolition of a row of old shops on its east side. The council intended to sell the vacant land in separate lots, but Chester architect John Douglas bought the entire length of the east side of the street and planned to create a series of buildings in a unified architectural design. Douglas originally intended to construct the buildings in stone with brick diapering in Gothic style. However, he was persuaded by the Duke of Westminster to include black-and-white half-timbering in his design.^[2][3] The terrace was constructed around 1895–97 at a cost of over £17,000 (equivalent to £2,440,000 in 2023).^[4] The building at the south end, on the corner of Eastgate Street, was the first to be occupied. It was acquired by the Bank of Liverpool, and the other units were used as shops.^[2] Twelve years after Douglas' death, a commemorative plaque was placed on the St Werburgh Street side of the bank by some of his former pupils and assistants.^[5]

basket arch on the ground floor. On the first floor is a five-light oriel window, above this is a six-light window with casements and the whole is surmounted by a gable with a carved bargeboard. Set at an angle on the corner between the streets is the doorway with a moulded basket arch over which are three ogee arches. Curving round the corner on the first floor is a three-light window.^[1]

weathervane. Rising from the roof are brick decorated chimney stacks.^[1] The upper storeys display "an unbroken expanse of gorgeously ornamented half-timber",^[6] and include carvings of Norman earls, saints (including St Werburgh), and Queen Victoria.^[3]