15 and 15a, Old Elvet

A pair of houses, likely dating from the mid-18th century, are situated on Old Elvet in Durham. The houses are constructed with incised stucco and have a Welsh slate roof, with rendered and brick chimneys. They are three storeys high, with three bays each, and exhibit some irregularity. The front doors are paired, with six panels each; the door to number 15 has a patterned overlight. The doors are set within architraves and protected by bracketed cornice hoods. Above the entrance, a small inserted window is positioned to the left of the centre. Number 15 has tripartite windows on the lower floors. The first floor retains original glazing bars, and the top floor features a short sash window with glazing bars, all with stone sills. The windows of number 15A were altered in the late 19th century, but remain in their original openings. Boot scrapers are located by the front doors. End chimneys are present.

Inside number 15, an 18th-century closed string staircase features a moulded handrail on a chinoiserie trellis balustrade, along with chamfered square newels having finials and pendants. The architectural details of the staircase were documented by F.J. Johnson in Historic Staircases of Durham City in 1970.