9, College Green

House, the ground floor converted for use as offices. Built in 1708–9 by Samuel Ricketts, carpenter, under a leasehold agreement with the cathedral chapter. Minor alterations were made in the 19th and 20th centuries. The building is constructed of grey-buff brick in header courses with red gauged and rubbed brick and stone details. It has parallel slate roofs, hipped to the front and end-gabled at the rear, with brick stacks.

The structure comprises a large double-depth block with an angled wing extending from the south-west corner, which abuts the rear of No.10 College Green. The exterior is of three storeys with an attic and cellar. The symmetrical front elevation has five bays with a slight projection to the central three bays. An offset brick plinth runs across the front. At each end stand giant Roman Doric pilasters with moulded red brick bases and capitals. A crowning modillion cornice breaks forward above the central projection and the end pilasters, and a modillion pediment with a stone-framed and keyed oculus sits in the tympanum above the central projection. Above the cornice is a stone blocking course and stone-capped brick parapet with piers at the outer corners.

The ground-floor central entrance doorway is set within a shallow Roman Doric porch of two fluted columns on base blocks, with entablature and pediment. The doorway is framed by pilasters applied to a rusticated surround and flat arch. The door itself has a diagonal-braced panel below and four fielded panels above. To either side of the doorway and to the first and second floors are sashes of similar size with glazing bars (3 by 4 panes) in openings with red brick jambs, rubbed brick segmental arched heads set with stone key blocks, and projecting stone sills. The east side is blank except for the return of the crowning modillion cornice and parapet over the end of the front range and two 20th-century windows inserted on the ground floor. The gable-end of the rear range projects slightly with a stack above. The rear elevation has a brick band at first and second-floor levels, boxed eaves and early 18th-century sashes. A central arched sash to the stairwell sits on the first floor; a sash to each side (3 by 4 panes) appears on the first floor and four sashes (3 by 3 panes) on the third floor, all in openings with rubbed brick flat-arched heads and projecting stone sills. Three gabled dormers with pairs of casements are present.

The interior contains a wide central entrance hall, divided by a transverse 20th-century screen to form an inner lobby to the offices and to the residence. It is paved in limestone slabs in a diamond pattern with small circular slate panels inset at the corners. The hall opens into the stairwell through a central, transverse, segmental arch supported on fluted pilasters, all in timber. The open-well staircase rises to the second floor with quarter landings, open strings, carved foliated end-brackets to broad treads, bottom curtail step, column newels, three column-on-vase balusters to each tread, ramped handrail, and stair dado with fielded panels between raised and capped styles on landings.

On the ground floor, the room to the left has original modillion cornices. In the room to the right, the rear wall features an alcove on each side of the former fireplace. The room at the rear has a fireplace framed in stone with a basket arch on brackets at each end and set with a large, raised, triple keystone. In the room to the right in the wing is a fireplace for a kitchen range with an arch set with a raised triple keystone in stone, and other original joinery.

On the first floor, the farther half of the original cross gallery is incorporated into the 19th century into the room to the right (front left). Within this room in the angled corner is an Adam-style chimney piece, probably brought in, with some remaining fielded panel dado and upper panels. In the wall between the front rooms is a large opening with 19th-century folding-panel doors. The room to the left has a fielded-panel dado and upper wall panels, and an original chimney piece with eared architrave to the fireplace and a panel above with moulded surround with paterae in the corners. The room to the rear left has a similar chimney piece and similar panelling with dentil cornices. On the second floor, the rooms have simple moulded cornices and some original joinery. The attic features 18th-century fielded panel doors.

This is a very fine early 18th-century house. The giant corner pilasters recall the work of provincial Baroque architects such as Smith of Warwick.