Located in St Werburgh's Street at the intersection with Northgate Street, the former St Nicholas' Chapel stands on the SW corner opposite Chester Cathedral.
Most of the original fabric remaining is on the S side of the former common hall along Music Hall Passage, running E from Northgate Street.
As the seat of civic government and the centre for festive occasions, the common hall was probably the venue for most performances by touring entertainers before the mayor and city officials before 1642.
In 1615 an ordinance banned performances in the common hall at night.
Currently a pharmacy.
Mid-14th c. Built by the monks of St Werburgh's for the parishioners' use as St Nicholas' Chapel.
1488 Some enlargement of the chapel.
1490 The citizens refused to use the chapel, eventually returning to the S transept of the abbey. St Nicholas' Chapel became vacant.
1546 St Nicholas' Chapel was acquired by the city and converted into the Chester Common Hall, replacing the former hall in Common Hall Lane. A floor was inserted dividing the building horizontally. The lower room was used for storage of trade goods like wool, corn and cloth. The upper chamber served for assemblies, elections and courts.
'The windows were decorated with stained glass with the arms of various prominent city families' (Bethell, Portrait of Chester 85).
1698 A new common hall was built on the site of the Old Shambles in Northgate Street.
1773 Used as the New Theatre. Walls raised by 15', windows renovated, high-pitched oak roof removed and interior converted (Hughes, Chronicle of Chester 191).
1777 Licensed as the Theatre Royal.
1855 Partly demolished except for the more substantial stone work and renovated by the architect James Harrison as a music hall.
20th c. Other uses for this building included a cinema, a supermarket and a men's clothiers shop.
REED Chester 178, 219, 443
