University Hostel And Greenbank House

The University Hostel and Greenbank House is a large house, dating from around 1787, with significant alterations and extensions made between 1812 and 1816, further extensions in the late 19th century, and again in 1963 to designs by Quentin Hughes for the University of Liverpool. It is constructed of regularly coursed sandstone blocks, horizontally channelled, with ashlar sandstone dressings, a cast iron verandah and canopy, and a hipped slate roof.

The building is two storeys and exhibits a 3 x 4 bay facade. It features a cornice above the ground floor, a first-floor string course, and a top cornice. A projecting central bay is flanked by ground floor canted bay windows with stepped parapets and diamond-paned pointed lights. The first floor contains three-light pointed windows with cornices. The central bay has a pointed chamfered arch with flanking niches and panels above, and a traceried balcony to the first floor. A loggia with triple arches and traceried spandrels is also present. Arched entrances are visible on both floors. The left return has a two-storey iron verandah, dating from around 1815, with label moulds over the windows; the ground floor windows are casements with pointed lights, while the first-floor windows are sash windows with pointed lights. Later brick service wings extend from the street, incorporating bow windows and sash windows (windows renewed). A round stair turret is situated at the rear, facing the road, and features a belfry and spirelet. A long stone corridor with pointed arched windows serves as a porch.

Substantial original fabric remains within the interior, including a plaster vaulted entrance passage with a muchette wheel traceried boss, and a gothic staircase with cast-iron balusters and a moulded handrail. The principal rooms retain gothic and classical chimney pieces, along with gothic shutter boxes and decorative plaster cornices.

The house was initially leased by the Earl of Sefton to William Rathbone, a merchant and ship owner, who later purchased it around 1787. Hannah Rathbone, granddaughter of Abraham Darby of Coalbrookdale, oversaw alterations and extensions between 1812 and 1816, incorporating external and internal cast-iron elements. The property was gifted to Liverpool University in 1936.