Description

SE6052SW
1112-1/27/222
14/06/54

YORK

COLLEGE STREET
(North East side)
St William's College

GV
I

College of the Chantry Priests of York Minster. c1465 with
alterations of various dates, including frontispiece and
staircase extension of mid C17 to north range; east range
sub-divided and remodelled with entrance extension in early
C18; south range converted to commercial use in late C18 and
early C19. Substantially restored 1902 by Temple Moore.
MATERIALS: magnesian limestone ashlar on chamfered plinth,
timber-framed first floor with plastered infill and coved
plaster eaves; north end of west range rebuilt in orange-brown
brick in random bond; underbuilding in red brick in English
garden-wall bond on courtyard side of south range.
Staircase extension of orange brick in English garden-wall
bond. Right return cement-rendered, rusticated on ground
floor, and entrance extension of orange brick in random bond;
coved timber eaves cornice. Roofs of pantile with tile verges
in places, and brick stacks.
EXTERIOR: street front: 2 storeys and attics; 10 bays: first
floor has coved jetty between moulded wallplate and moulded
bressumer, and exposed timber-framing: at right end, 2-storey
1-bay extension. Entrance in centre of original building
flanked by side standards with crocketed pinnacles has
panelled double doors in 4-centred moulded arch of 3 orders
with shafted jambs. Above, in canopied niche beneath crocketed
ogee hood, carving of St William flanked by armorial shields.
On each side, coved jetty timbers carved as figures. To left
of entrance is a 16-pane sash window with sunk-panel shutters:
further left, paired 6-panel doors with small-pane overlights
between small-pane bow windows with dentilled cornices and
panelled shutters. To right of entrance, two shopfronts
beneath continuous modillioned cornice have glazed and
panelled doors and radial fanlights in doorcases of sunk-panel
jambs, one with applied ornament, fluted necking and friezes,
and paterae: windows are small- pane bows. Further right is a
4-light window with 12-pane casements and shutters of raised
and fielded panelling. Extension has altered 6-panel passage
door. On first floor are 5 renewed oriel windows with
traceried lights; four 2-, 3- or 4-light mullioned windows,
one with transom; and C18 oriel with tall 12-pane sash
windows: 12-pane sash over gateway. Attic has gabled and
raking dormers with 2-light windows.
Rear: 2 storeys and attics, with altered irregular
fenestration: 2-storey staircase extension off-centre to
right; left end obscured by later building. Extension has
rectangular and oval windows with moulded brick hoods. To
left, traces of two full-height windows with 2-centred heads

remain, one behind extension blocked with brick. The other,
with stone blocking, retains original double hollow chamfered
jambs, badly decayed, and sloped sill: on ground floor,
3-light window is of re-used C17 casements beneath timber
lintel; on first floor, paired 12-pane sashes. Further left,
is restored 6-light mullioned window with coved hoodmould on
ground floor, and 4- and 3-light mullioned windows on first
floor. To right of extension, fragments of 4-light mullioned
window and slit light to right survive: at right end, former
window with double chamfered jambs now converted to door:
other ground floor openings altered. First floor windows are
1- and 2-light casements, and three 12-pane sashes. Portions
of coved eaves survive.
Left return: west range has exposed timber-framing and timber
mullioned windows of 2 and 3 lights on first floor.
Right return: east range of 2 storeys and attics; 9 bays: left
end bay extended forward to provide entrance. Centre left door
of 6 raised and fielded panels on H-L hinges, to left of
tripartite 4:16:4-pane sash window: glazed door beneath
divided overlight at centre right. Windows are 12-pane sashes
on ground floor, with 8-pane sash at right end: 18-pane sashes
on first floor, with 12-pane sash at right end: all windows
have raised surrounds, those on ground floor rusticated. Coved
eaves cornice. Hipped dormers have 2-light windows.
Quadrangle fronts: 2 storeys with cellars and attics;
chamfered cellar openings, mostly blocked, in plinth:
timber-framed upper storey jettied as street front. 11 coved
jetty timbers carved as figures and west range bressumer
carved with rosettes and masks. Entrance passage opening is
chamfered arch with angels bearing shields of arms carved in
bressumer on either side. Frontispiece in north range has
panelled double doors in keyed fasciated architrave recessed
within doorcase of Ionic pilasters, entablature with
pulvinated frieze, broken segmental pediment. Overdoor has
oval sunk panel between squat pilasters over recessed shaped
apron. Traces of original doorways with hollow chamfered jambs
and 4-centred heads survive elsewhere. Windows are restored or
reconstructed oriels or inserted casements with leaded lights;
one original oriel, now blocked, survives in east range, of
paired lights with traceried heads, carved base panels and
moulded mullion: in south range, one Venetian window with
radial-glazed centre sash, one boarded side light, and fitted
flush panelled shutters; also, two 12-pane and one 18-pane
sashes.

INTERIOR: SOUTH RANGE: ground floor. Moulded spine beams and
wall-plates survive in most rooms. Eastern end: early C20
dogleg staircase to attics with close string, open splat
balusters, square newels with ball and pedestal finials, and
heavy moulded handrail. Two rooms retain fireplaces with
basket grates, one in plain surround, one in timber
chimneypiece with panelled overmantel and moulded cornice
supported on fluted Composite pilasters on pedestals with

fretwork panels. Western end: room to left of entrance passage
has blocked fireplace with segmental brick arch between two
moulded stone doorways, one with 2-panel door to stone newel
staircase. First floor. Landing has moulded cornice and eared
bolection moulded doorcase to right of stairs. Eastern end:
one room has panelled chimneypiece with hob grate in plain
surround; adjacent room has bolection moulded fireplace with
moulded shelf and overmantel panel. South-east room fitted
with bolection moulded panelling, to full height on chimney
wall and incorporating fireplace with overmantel between
sunk-panel pilasters, and moulded cornice: 3-panels doors, one
on H hinges, one on cockshead hinges, flank fireplace:
panelled oriel window framed in keyed segmental arch on
panelled pilasters with prominent moulded imposts. Western
end: first room has moulded stone fireplace with quoined
jambs, moulded spine beam and eared doorcase. South-west room
has exposed framing and plaster infilling painted with flower
and foliage trails: fireplace has moulded stone surround and
shallow 4-centred head. Attic: centre room has fireplace
inserted in chimney hood, with timber lintel and moulded stone
shelf.
NORTH RANGE: ground floor. Hall in centre has renewed coffered
ceiling and chamfered plastered fireplace. Main staircase at
rear rises to first floor, with close string, open splat
balusters, square newels with shaped caps and heavy handrail.
Second staircase to attics, towards western end, has moulded
close string, turned balusters, square newels with attached
half balusters, and heavy moulded handrail. First floor.
Landing has coffered ceiling. Maclagan Hall, largely
reconstructed, retains various re-used fragments of
wainscotting and panelling: one original open collar truss
with moulded arch braces survives. Two hatchments commemorate
Memorial Services in York Minster, for Queen Victoria, 1902,
for Edward VII, 1910. Bishops' Chamber lined with re-used and
reconstructed panelling with reeded Ionic pilasters and
moulded cornice: coved ceiling coffered with plaster moulded
beams: fireplace in stone bolection moulded surround.
WEST RANGE: ground floor. Chimney breast towards southern end
has bolection moulded fireplace with moulded mantelshelf on
one side, hob grate in fasciated surround with pulvinated
frieze and dentilled moulded cornice shelf on the other. Brick
fireplaces with arched heads survive at north end in outer
wall. Staircase in north-west corner rises to attic, and has
close string, twisted balusters, square panelled newels and
heavy moulded handrail. First floor. Attic floor survives over
north end only: room below has moulded stone fireplace with
4-centred head, square panelling, and moulded cornice.
Remainder of range open to roof, retains two chimneybreasts,
one with chamfered opening in plastered hood, the other fitted
with raised and fielded panelling carved with early C19
graffiti.
EAST RANGE: ground floor. Two staircases rise to attics: early
C18 one at southern end has moulded close string, bulbous

balusters, square newels and heavy moulded handrail: northern
one early C20 copy. Two 2-panel doors survive. Northern end
room has restored moulded stone fireplace with quoined jambs
and 4-centred head. Another room is fully panelled, with
doorcase, chimneypiece and window reveal, all bolection
moulded: semi-domed alcove cupboard has fasciated round-arched
surround with keyblock and shaped shelves, and raised and
fielded panel doors on butterfly hinges below. First floor.
Landing to north has 3-panel door to sub-divided centre room.
First room has blocked corner fireplace in plain surround:
second room fitted with bolection moulded panelling, doorcase
and fireplace with overmantel panel, and moulded cornice:
fireplace has basket grate and moulded cornice shelf.
(City of York: RCHME: The Central Area: HMSO: 1981-: 62-68).

Listing NGR: SE6044652194

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• St Williams College at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17530637

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)