University Hostel And Greenbank House

392/38/561

GREENBANK LANE UNIVERSITY HOSTEL

28-JUN-52

II*

Includes: GREENBANK HOUSE, GREENBANK LANE

House. c.1787 or earlier, remodelled and extended 1812-1816,further extended late C19 and altered again to the designs of Quentin Hughes for the University of Liverpool in 1963. Regularly coursed sandstone blocks, horizontally channelled, with ashlar sandstone dressings, cast iron verandah and canopy, all beneath a hipped slate roof.

EXTERIOR: 2 storeys, 3 x 4 bays. Cornice over ground floor; 1st floor string course; top cornice. Projecting central bay flanked by ground floor canted bay windows with stepped parapets and pointed lights, with diamond panes throughout. 1st floor has 3-light pointed windows with cornices. Central bay has pointed chamfered arch with flanking niche, with panels over. Traceried balcony to 1st floor.loggia with triple arches, traceried spandrels. Arched entrances to both floors. Left return has 2-storey iron verandah, c.1815; the windows behind have label moulds, casements to ground floor, sashes to lst floor, all with pointed lights. Later brick service wings to street with bow windows and sashes (windows renewed). Round stair turret at rear (facing road), with belfry and spirelet. Long stone corridor/porch with pointed arched windows.

INTERIOR: Much original fabric survives, including a plaster vaulted entrance passage with muchette wheel traceried boss, and gothic staircase with cast-iron balusters and a moulded handrail. In the principal rooms, gothic and classical chimneypieces have been retained, together with gothic shutter boxes and decorative plaster cornices.

HISTORY: The house was leased by the Earl of Sefton to William Rathbone, merchant and ship owner, who subsequently purchased the property c.1787. Hannah Rathbone, grandaughter of Abraham Darby of Coalbrookdale had the house altered and extended c.1812-1816, a remodelling which included both external and internal cast-iron components. The property was given to Liverpool University in 1936.

Listing NGR: SJ3844387979