1 and 2, Abbey Square

Two town houses, now offices, were built between 1821 and 1822 for Prebendary JT Law. They are constructed of Flemish bond brown brick with pale brick headers and have a grey slate roof. The buildings stand on a painted stone plinth. Number 1 has an entrance through the Abbey Gateway on Northgate Street, while Number 2 has two stone steps leading to a panelled front door, which consists of four fielded panels above two flush panels with a six-pane overlight within a timber frame with fluted pilasters and a cornice hood. The windows are flush sashes with 12 panes to the first and second storeys, and 9 panes to the third storey; they have painted stone sills to the first and third storeys, a sill band to the second storey, and rusticated wedge lintels with false keystones. Number 1 has three first-floor windows, and Number 2 has two. Each house has three windows on each upper storey. A moulded painted stone cornice sits above the windows, followed by a brick parapet and another painted stone cornice. An iron rainwater pipe is positioned between numbers 2 and 3. Two chimneys are visible.

The rear of the buildings overlooks a narrow enclosed yard which provides access to the buildings on the east side of Northgate Street.

The cellar of Number 1 has walls of coursed sandstone, with sandstone partitions (not toothed) and brickwork, quarry tile floors, a replaced wooden stair, some chamfered oak beams, and a two-panel door. The first-floor rooms have dado rails, some cornices, panelled embrasures and some five-panel doors. A newel staircase has three turned balusters per step with newels and simple moulded handrails. A south-facing room on the second storey has panelled embrasures with architraves and a simple fireplace. An altered north-facing room on the same storey has similar embrasures and portions of cornice. The dogleg staircase to the third storey features an open string, shaped brackets, stick balusters, and a simple swept rail. The third-storey rooms have no other features of particular interest.

The cellar of Number 2 has peripheral walls of coursed sandstone, a boarded door fixed with gudgeons, two chamfered oak beams, replaced joists, timber steps, and a boarded upper door. The front room on the first storey includes a six-panel door, a dado rail, sub-panels, architraves to the embrasures, a picture rail, and a cornice. The rear room has an altered door and a blocked fireplace. A dogleg staircase has a turned newel, stick balusters, and a swept rail, with shaped brackets to the upper flights. The second storey features two six-panel doors, sub-panels, architraves to the embrasures, a round-arched fireplace in a simple surround, and a cornice. Five-panel doors lead to the two rear rooms. The third storey contains five-panel doors and a fire surround in the north rear room. The group value of this property is exceptional.