History in Structure

Bluecoat School and Former Chapel of St John Baptist

A Grade II* Listed Building in Chester, Cheshire West and Chester

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Coordinates

Latitude: 53.194 / 53°11'38"N

Longitude: -2.8938 / 2°53'37"W

OS Eastings: 340381

OS Northings: 366701

OS Grid: SJ403667

Mapcode National: GBR 79.2ZHJ

Mapcode Global: WH887.JZ68

Plus Code: 9C5V54V4+JF

Entry Name: Bluecoat School and Former Chapel of St John Baptist

Listing Date: 28 July 1955

Last Amended: 23 July 1998

Grade: II*

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1375966

English Heritage Legacy ID: 469945

Also known as: Hospital of St John Baptist
Chapel of St John Baptist

ID on this website: 101375966

Location: Newtown, Cheshire West and Chester, Cheshire, CH1

County: Cheshire West and Chester

Electoral Ward/Division: Chester City

Parish: Non Civil Parish

Built-Up Area: Chester

Traditional County: Cheshire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Cheshire

Church of England Parish: Chester St Oswald and St Thomas of Canterbury

Church of England Diocese: Chester

Tagged with: Building School building

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Description



CHESTER CITY (EM)

SJ4066 UPPER NORTHGATE STREET
1932-1/6/275 (West side)
28/07/55 Bluecoat School and former Chapel of
St John Baptist
(Formerly Listed as:
UPPER NORTHGATE STREET
The Bluecoat School)
(Formerly Listed as:
UPPER NORTHGATE STREET
Church of Little St John)

GV II*

Chapel, orphanage and school, now youth centre. Founded 1700
by Bishop Stratford and built 1717. Stone-dressed orange
brick; hipped grey slate roof. U-shaped.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys; symmetrical; plinth. Central block has
pedimented entrance bay with 2 bays to each side; second and
fourth bays recessed. Central bay has through passage in
basket-arched painted-stone Tuscan case carrying shouldered
round arched niche with statue of Bluecoat boy 1854 by Edward
Richardson. A basket-arched 19-pane sash in pilastered case to
each side of entrance; a narrower bay to each side has door of
6 fielded panels in pilastered case with blank panel above.
Second-storey floorband; blank panel to entrance bay; 2 square
6-pane sashes to each side have simple stone cases with keys.
Cornice; clock in central pediment; parapet with simple stone
cap. Central octagonal belfry cupola has round-arched
bell-openings and copper roof. Projecting south and north
wing, each with 2 basket-arched 16-pane sashes to court in
ground floor and 2 square 6-pane sashes to first floor, all in
cases as in central block.
Front of south wing has basket-arched window to former Chapel
of St John, arch breaking floorband, with 2 mullions, central
glazing bar, 2 horizontal bars and impost transom; case with
panelled pilasters. North wing has basement window projecting
above plinth and window of 46 panes, including fanlight, in
case matching that to chapel. The south face has 6 fixed
lights of 16 panes with 1-pane hopper inserts; 6-pane first
floor sashes above, all in cases as to the front; plinth,
floorband, cornice and parapet. The north face, similar to
south face, has a door and windows also to basement, facing
Canal Street.
The rear is simply expressed. Long, narrow area to basement
has quarter-landing and 10 steps, now concrete, down to
basement; access to central passage bridges area. Wrought-iron


railing to area has round knob-topped balusters on painted
stone plinth. Brick reveals to passage arch with panelled
imposts; keystone. The ground floor has 2 segmental-arched
12-pane flush sashes and an altered, deeper, 15-pane sash
north of passage; a square bay window of 4;4;8;4;4-panes with
pilaster mullions of stone; 2 segmental-arched 15-pane sashes
and bay window, as to north, south of passage. Brick
floorband; 11 recessed 9-pane fixed lights to second storey in
segmental-arched openings; cornice parapet and plain stone
coping; 2 lateral chimneys.
INTERIOR: most details are removed. Recessed 2-panel shaped
double gates with wrought-iron spikes in central
through-passage. Cellars at rear with some barrel and groined
vaulting in brick. A few doors of 6 fielded or 6 plain panels.
A dogleg oak stair at junctions of south and north wing with
central wing, with turned newels, stick balusters and oak
rails. One or 2 rooms have cornices. The former Chapel of St
John Baptist is stripped of features and sub-divided.

Listing NGR: SJ4038166701

External Links

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