Chester’s Watergate Bridge has been restored to its former glory

Chester’s Watergate Bridge has been restored to its former glory thanks to a programme of works to repair the structure costing over £500,000.

The Lord Mayor of Chester, Councillor Razia Daniels, performed a ribbon cutting ceremony today, Friday 22 December to re-open the historic bridge.

She was joined by representatives from all the organisations involved with the programme of repairs, as well as nearby businesses.

The Grade I listed bridge had been supported by scaffolding since late in 2012 and thorough investigations were carried out to assess the condition of the bridge and its red sandstone.

The amount of work required increased significantly after the bridge parapet was dismantled earlier this year.

Initially it was estimated that 15% of the stonework on the bridge would need to be replaced however repair techniques used in the last century meant that 85% of the stone had to be replaced due to ‘delamination’ – where water flakes away outer layers of stonework.

The Grade I listed structure spans the A548 between Watergate Street and New Crane Street. It forms part of the city walls and carries a footpath over the road.

The Lord Mayor of Chester, Councillor Razia Daniels said:

“I was delighted to be involved in today’s re-opening ceremony. The bridge looks wonderful and will now be around for everyone to admire for many, many years to come.”

There has been a structure at ‘Watergate’ on the city walls since the late 11th to early 12th century.

The current arch was constructed in 1789 replacing an earlier medieval gate which was described at the time as ‘’dangerously ruinous’.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, Watergate was, as its name suggests, a main gateway to the quay of what was the largest, most important seaport in the region.

The River Dee reached right up to Watergate for goods to be unloaded and transported up the hill into the city.

Ultimately the River Dee silted up and the area to the west was developed, so Watergate lost its link to the river.

As a Scheduled Monument, all repair work at Watergate Bridge was carried out under the guidance of Historic England.