The residences are built of stone from the Mercia Mudstone Group.
There were originally 22 houses on the east side and 20 on the west.
They line each side of a quadrangle which appears longer than it is because of false perspective achieved by building the houses at the upper northern end nearest the chapel 9 feet (2.7 m) closer together than those at the lower southern end closest to the Vicars' Hall.
Each house originally comprised a ground floor hall of approximately 20 by 13 feet (6.1 by 4.0 m) and an upper floor of the same size.
Both had a fireplace in the front wall.
Washing facilities and a latrine were outside the back door.
The date of some of the buildings is unclear but it is known that some had been built by 1363 and the rest were completed by 1412.
There were originally 42 houses, each for one vicar, however in a charter of c.1582 Queen Elizabeth restricted the number of vicars to twenty, and the Vicars Choral currently number twelve men.
No.
1 Vicars' Close was once a larger property, but has since been divided and part of the building is now called No.
1 St. Andrew Street.

Following the 15th century Reformation when clerical marriage was permitted, larger households would have been required and as a result some of the houses were altered and combined by knocking through walls, into larger dwellings.
Others had extensions built to the rear.
Water supply was originally from two wells, one at each end of the close.
By 1468 lead pipes had been installed to bring water into the houses, although the wells continued to function until the 19th century.
Number 22 is the house which still has most of its original medieval structure as it was originally built.

In the fifteenth century, Bishop Thomas Beckington left much of his estate to the Vicars' Choral, enabling repairs to be carried out.
The gardens in front of the houses were not part of the original scheme with the garden walls being added as part of this development.
The walls are on average 4 metres (13 ft) from the front of the houses.
He unified the appearance of the terraces including the installation of a single arch-braced and wind-braced trussed sloping roof around 1466.
The chimney shafts were renewed and raised, possibly because of the introduction of coal as the fuel rather than wood.
Each stack incorporates two heraldic shields and the upper sections of the stacks are octagonal.
The shields are those of the Bishop, a beacon above tun, and the arms of his three executors; sugar loaves for Hugh Sugar, three swans for Richard Swan, and the talbot for John Pope.
Many of the original windows were replaced in the 18th century.
Shrewsbury House is architecturally different from all the other buildings.
It was re-built in the 19th century after a fire that burnt down the original structure.
The residences are built of stone from the Mercia Mudstone Group. There were originally 22 houses on the east side and 20 on the west. They line each side of a quadrangle which appears longer than it is because of false perspective achieved by building the houses at the upper northern end nearest the chapel 9 feet (2.7 m) closer together than those at the lower southern end closest to the Vicars' Hall. Each house originally comprised a ground floor hall of approximately 20 by 13 feet (6.1 by 4.0 m) and an upper floor of the same size. Both had a fireplace in the front wall. Washing facilities and a latrine were outside the back door. The date of some of the buildings is unclear but it is known that some had been built by 1363 and the rest were completed by 1412. There were originally 42 houses, each for one vicar, however in a charter of c.1582 Queen Elizabeth restricted the number of vicars to twenty, and the Vicars Choral currently number twelve men. No. 1 Vicars' Close was once a larger property, but has since been divided and part of the building is now called No. 1 St. Andrew Street.
Following the 15th century Reformation when clerical marriage was permitted, larger households would have been required and as a result some of the houses were altered and combined by knocking through walls, into larger dwellings. Others had extensions built to the rear. Water supply was originally from two wells, one at each end of the close. By 1468 lead pipes had been installed to bring water into the houses, although the wells continued to function until the 19th century. Number 22 is the house which still has most of its original medieval structure as it was originally built.
In the fifteenth century, Bishop Thomas Beckington left much of his estate to the Vicars' Choral, enabling repairs to be carried out. The gardens in front of the houses were not part of the original scheme with the garden walls being added as part of this development. The walls are on average 4 metres (13 ft) from the front of the houses. He unified the appearance of the terraces including the installation of a single arch-braced and wind-braced trussed sloping roof around 1466. The chimney shafts were renewed and raised, possibly because of the introduction of coal as the fuel rather than wood. Each stack incorporates two heraldic shields and the upper sections of the stacks are octagonal. The shields are those of the Bishop, a beacon above tun, and the arms of his three executors; sugar loaves for Hugh Sugar, three swans for Richard Swan, and the talbot for John Pope. Many of the original windows were replaced in the 18th century. Shrewsbury House is architecturally different from all the other buildings. It was re-built in the 19th century after a fire that burnt down the original structure.
Vicars' Close, Wells