Originally dating from the 13th century, the Rows in the centre of Chester are half-timbered galleries reached by steps from the street. After an extensive period, restoration work on them has now been complete.
Effectively, the rows provide another tier of shops above the ones at street level. A few of the original buildings have survived, but much what we see today are excellent copies done in Victorian times. The Rows are unique to Chester and add greatly to the historic charm of the city centre.
The Chester Rows Heritage Action Zone programme was made possible by funding of £1 million provided by Historic England and supplemented by additional funding from Cheshire West and Chester Council, together with other public and private sector partners.
Work began in April 2020, and four years later, it is now complete.
The programme renovated and refurbished the Rows to the limits of its available budget, prioritising areas that were most at risk. Its wider aims were to inform people of their historical importance to the city and to support the local businesses by encouraging more visitors to the area.
As well as the local business community and property owners, the programme worked with a variety of cultural groups and schools. A series of five short films was commissioned, which are available on the Chester Heritage Festival YouTube channel.
From its offices in Chester and Oswestry, Hartey Wealth Management offers investment planning services and financial advice and throughout Cheshire and Shropshire. Our charitable foundation helps to fund many community projects within these counties.
