9 Market Square

This is a three-storey town house situated within an informal terrace, likely dating to the 18th century. The front facade is rendered and features long and short quoins on the left and right sides. It has a slate gabled roof and rendered end chimneys, with a large square chimney shared with the adjacent property at number 11. The windows are square-horned 6-pane sashes to the second floor, hornless 12-pane sashes to the first floor, and a single unaligned hornless 12-pane sash on the ground floor to the left of the recessed 6-panel door. The door is framed by a timber doorcase featuring panelled pilasters, an entablature with blocks in the frieze and a shelf cornice, and a fluted rectangular overlight.

The rear of the building is roughcast, with a roughcast rear wing extending centrally. This wing has flat boarded eaves, a chimney stack and a single first-floor window; a lean-to is on the north side. An addition, constructed of rubble stone with brick window surrounds, is positioned at a right angle to the rear wing, likely dating to the early 20th century. It stands two storeys high and has a three-window range overlooking a rear lane.

The entrance hall features a reeded ceiling border and an elliptical hall arch. The front left and right rooms have been partially opened into a single space. The left room contains a door to number 11, which is a late 17th to early 18th century feature with a chamfered oak frame, run-out stops, a plank door with cover strips and wrought iron strap hinges. This room has a ceiling with an encased beam and early 19th century reeded borders. The fireplace has been renewed, with elliptical-arched recesses containing plaster panelled soffits - the left narrow, and the right broad. The window surround features early 19th century reeding, square corner blocks, horizontal fluting in the reveals, and panelled shutters with planted mouldings. Fragments of a cobbled floor and two oak steps were found.

The right room has been altered; part of it was once a carriageway leading to a rear yard. This room has a two-panel ceiling with a plastered beam, reeded half-columns and paterae to the window surrounds, along with panelled shutters, reveals and soffits. A thick wall separates the front range from the rear wing. A rear room has a 19th century moulded cornice and a stone fireplace with cut stone voussoirs to a cambered arch, with a timber lintel above. A staircase to the rear left is enclosed within a stair tower, which winds around a square masonry pier, with later 19th century stairs featuring turned newels and finials. The first floor of the rear wing contains two windows to the east, encased beams, a 20th century fireplace, panelled shutters and soffits. A small room has a two-panel ceiling with reeded borders, a reeded window surround, square angle blocks, and a six-panel door. A door provides access from the rear wing to the front range, featuring a moulded surround with square angle blocks. The front range’s first floor also has panelled shutters and surrounds with square angle blocks. The attic contains oak collar trusses, mostly concealed, with panelled doors.