Nos. 5 And 5A With Attached Railings And Rear Courtyard Walls

This is a house, now offices, dating to about 1800, situated on a corner site in College Yard, Worcester. It is accompanied by attached front railings and rear courtyard walls. The building is constructed of reddish-orange brick in Flemish bond, with a plain tile roof, tall brick ridge and end stacks featuring oversailing courses and decorative pots. Stone sills are present, along with a timber eaves detail.

The house has an L-shaped plan with a further wing to the rear, and stands three storeys high above a basement, with attics above. It features 3 + 3 first-floor windows. The ground and first floors contain 6/6 sash windows, with two 2/2 sashes to the ground floor on the right-hand side. The second floor has 3/3 sashes, all in plain reveals with flat arches of gauged brick. Two box roof dormers are visible, each with a 3/3 sash window. The basement level has a 6/6 sash window to the left and a blocked half-basement on the right. New cast-iron covers with a scroll design are present on the basement level.

The central entrance is via a quadrant porch with three renewed, curved steps leading to a 6-panel door. The upper panels are raised and fielded, and the lower panels are flush beaded, with a fanlight featuring petal glazing bars. The door is set within a tooled round arch resting on fleurons within a pilastered surround, featuring acanthus corbel brackets with an oval motif and a fluted frieze, culminating in a continuous cornice. A crowning frieze and a cyma-moulded cornice complete the porch detailing.

The rear elevation incorporates a full-height canted bay with a tripartite window on the ground and second floors, featuring 6/6 sashes flanking a narrower sash. A Venetian window is located on the first floor, with a round-arched 6/6 sash with Gothic glazing bars set between two 2/4 sashes. Other rear windows are 6/6 and 3/6 sashes, with a Diocletian window positioned to the right.

The interior retains original plasterwork, including moulded cornices with fleurons, particularly on the ground floor, alongside original joinery such as panelled shutters. An openwell staircase features stick balusters and a wreathed handrail.

External features include cast-iron railings to the sides of the steps with a curved handrail, renewed railings to the left, and a cast-iron boot scraper. The ramped courtyard walls at the rear measure approximately 6 x 12 x 6 metres by 3 metres in height. An archway with imposts is present in the centre of the rear wall, containing a 6-flush-panel door.

The listed buildings within College Yard form a group and contribute to the setting of the Cathedral.