1–11 and 13 Bath Street, Chester

Located on the east side of Bath Street in Chester, 1–11 and 13 Bath Street comprise a striking row of six attached cottages and a separate townhouse. These buildings, a testament to early 20th-century architectural ingenuity, are designated as Grade II listed structures on the National Heritage List for England. Designed by renowned local architect John Douglas in 1903, they were constructed on his land, showcasing his distinctive style.

At the north end of Bath Street, Numbers 1–11 form a cohesive yet asymmetrical row of cottages. Built with buff sandstone and topped with grey-green slate roofs, these two-story homes exhibit a rich variety of architectural features. The frontage includes two prominent plain gables, their upper stories jettied on corbels; two smaller dormers with shaped gables; and three charming round turrets capped with conical roofs.

The dormer cottages are slightly recessed from the rest, emphasizing their bay windows on the lower floor and small forecourts enclosed by wrought iron railings. Over the doorway of Number 11, a cartouche commemorates the construction year, 1903. Decorative finials crown the gables and turrets, adding a flourish to the design. While the chimneys and the cottages' rear are built from brick, the front elevations’ detailing ensures these homes remain visually distinctive.

At the south end of the street, Number 13 stands as an elegant red-brick townhouse. Its two-story structure is accented with stonework panels on the upper story and features a Westmorland green slate roof. The design centers around a square main section with a northern wing. Key architectural features include a round turret with a conical roof, a hipped lucarne, a tall chimney, and an octagonal turret with a spire and finial.

The upper stories of the main house and the octagonal turret are jettied, supported by terracotta corbels. The northern wing houses the front door beneath a dormer with a jettied casement window.

These buildings exemplify John Douglas's mastery of blending diverse architectural elements, creating structures that are both functional and artistically significant. Today, they remain a notable feature of Chester's architectural heritage.