'Chester city centre church shut until further notice as wall 'seriously compromised' - Chester, Cheshire, UK
N 53° 11.419 W 002° 53.499
30U E 507239 N 5893447
The Church of St Peter is located on Eastgate Street in Chester city centre.
Waymark Code: WM17J95
Location: North West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 02/26/2023
Views: 0
The Church of St Peter is located on Eastgate Street in the centre of the city of Chester, immediately to the north of Chester Cross. It is an Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Chester and the deanery of Chester.
The church stands on the site of part of the Roman Praetorium and some of its fabric dates from that time. A church is said to have been built on this site by Ethelfleda in 907. The present church dates from the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, with modifications in the following three centuries.
The church is a designated Grade I listed building built of red sandstone and is approximately square in plan. Its floor is at the level of the adjacent Watergate Row and the church is entered by a flight of seven stone steps on the south face.
"The tower rises one stage above roof, with clock, bell opening of 2 cusped lights, crenellation, crocketed pinnacles and a pyramid roof of slate in the manner of John Douglas, late C19, with its faces interrupted by a continuous, horizontal louvre; wind vane; there was formerly a spire, removed and rebuilt C16, taken down C17, then rebuilt and finally removed C18." (
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The report about the church by Gary Porter appeared on Cheshire Live on 20th February 2023, and reads as follows;
'Chester city centre church shut until further notice as wall 'seriously compromised'
"St Peter's has been issued with a prohibition notice after a survey uncovered the potentially dangerous state of the wall
St Peter’s Church in Chester city centre has been issued with a prohibition notice after a survey revealed that the building's east gable wall is "seriously compromised".
The potentially dangerous state of the wall means the church must remain closed on safety grounds until further notice. Part of Northgate Street, adjacent to the church, and both footpaths will also be shut until remedial works have been completed.
The church commissioned a structural survey of the building and have now shared the results with Cheshire West and Chester Council. The church has been judged to be in a potentially dangerous structural condition.
The council has confirmed that the church has also been issued with a prohibition notice under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. As a result, the church is temporarily closed until further notice due to serious and potentially dangerous structural issues.
This is based on evidence that that the church’s east gable wall is "seriously compromised". Signage at the site reflects the closure and alternative access points to Northgate Street.
Deputy leader, councillor Karen Shore, said: "Based on the advice the council has received from independent specialist structural engineers, it has taken the action to prohibit the use of the church by members of the public until the structural deficiencies are remedied and the building is deemed to be safe for use.
“The council is working closely with St. Peter’s Church to bring about a speedy and safe resolution that will enable us to open the road and footpaths as quickly as possible and allow the church to re-open.
"We are also liaising with businesses to minimise any disruption and seeking to rectify the situation as soon as possible. Northgate Street can still be accessed via the steps by Rosie’s or around the corner on Eastgate Street."