7 and 9, Higher Street

7 and 9 Higher Street is a house over a shop, originally two houses and shops, likely built in the late 18th century. However, the plot has medieval origins, so some parts of the structure may be older. The building features mixed construction with stone rubble side walls and a timber-framed front, all covered with roughcast where visible. The end stacks have rendered chimney shafts with old pots, and the roof is slate.

The building has three storeys with attics and cellars, the latter now used by No. 9 Fairfax Place. It has a two-window range. The ground floor features a 19th-century timber shop front with part-glazed four-panel doors at each end and a central six-panel door, all recessed with stone steps and plain overlights, along with two-light display windows in between. There is a plain timber pilaster at the right end and a plain fascia. Above, the two-window front has horned four-pane sashes, including a pair on the first floor to the right. The eaves are plain, and the roof is hipped at the street end.

Inside, the right front and back rooms are separated by what is likely an early, if not original, staircase. The rest of the house has not been inspected but is probably of interest. In the 14th century, this area was the principal street of Dartmouth.