Bridge of Sighs
The Bridge of Sighs in
Chester is a crossing that originally led from the
Northgate gaol, across the
Chester Canal , to a chapel in the
Bluecoat School . It was built to allow condemned prisoners to receive the last rites before their
execution without risk of escape.
[1] It is recorded in the
National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II
listed building .
[2]
History
The bridge was built probably in 1793. It originally had iron railings to prevent the prisoners from escaping. The railings were removed during
World War II .
[3] The architect was
Joseph Turner .
[4]
After the Northgate Prison closed, Chester City Corporation tried to have the bridge removed in 1821.[
citation needed ]
See also
References
^
"The Northgate Part II" . History Tour & Map. 21 August 2009.
^
Historic England ,
"Bridge of Sighs, Chester (1375967)" ,
National Heritage List for England , retrieved 8 April 2012
^ Langtree, Stephen; Comyns, Alan, eds. (2001), 2000 Years of Building: Chester's Architectural Legacy , Chester: Chester Civic Trust, p. 126,
ISBN
0-9540152-0-7
^ Hartwell, Clare; Hyde, Matthew;
Hubbard, Edward ;
Pevsner, Nikolaus (2011) [1971], Cheshire , The Buildings of England, New Haven and London:
Yale University Press , p. 270,
ISBN
978-0-300-17043-6
53°11′37.86″N 2°53′37.43″W / 53.1938500°N 2.8937306°W / 53.1938500; -2.8937306
Chester city walls and buildings
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