Details
LEEDS
SE3037SE HARROGATE ROAD, Chapel Allerton
714-1/55/577 (East side)
05/08/76 Chapel Allerton Library and Police
Station
II
Police station, police house, public library and fire station,
now police station and library. 1904. By WH Thorp. Coursed
squared gritstone, ashlar details, slate roof.
2 storeys with attics and cellars, a corner site, the police
station block occupies the corner with Town Street, the
library faces Harrogate Road and the fire station is on Town
Street.
Library: 3 bays, entrance right with round-arch doorway,
bulbous Tuscan columns supporting scrolled open pediment
containing cartouche with 'PUBLIC LIBRARY' in raised letters;
4 cross windows to left. First floor: Ionic pilasters between
large segmental-arched 3-light windows with segmental stone
balconies, 2-light window right. 2 shaped gables with oval
attic windows in cartouche surrounds, flanking obelisk
finials, tall chimney with diagonal shafts left, tall slender
belfry-style boiler flue chimney right with corner pilasters
and cornice.
Police house: 3 bays to left of the library and defined by the
letters 'LCP' on the pilaster. Board door with overlight and
segmental pediment, stair window to right, flanking 3-light
mullion and transom windows, 3 pedimented 2-light windows to
1st floor, moulded strings and parapet.
Police Station: curved corner entrance with 9-panel door,
bulbous Tuscan columns supporting segmental pedimented hood
containing cartouche with 'POLICE STATION' in painted letters,
painted coat of arms above in panel with broken pediment,
plain parapet. 2 bays to right (Harrogate Road) with 3- and
2-light mullion and transom windows, Ionic pilasters to 1st
floor, gables with oval windows above and copings. Left (Town
Street), from right to left: tall 2-bay section with inserted
door, 3-light window right, cell block corridor window with
iron grille left; 2- and 3-light mullion and transom window to
1st floor, parapet and gable above, tall chamfered stack and a
ventilation flue in the form of an ogee-domed cupola. Set
back, 3 cell corridor windows and a carriage archway, 4
eight-pane sashes above; engine house entrance far left with
glazed double doors, overlight, in ashlar surround with 'FIRE
STATION' above and ball finials, 3-light window and tall
gable.
INTERIOR: of library: fine details include mosaic floor to
entrance hall, tiled walls with 'LPL', stained glass in doors,
plasterwork with human masks, original Reading Room, now
lending area, with Ionic columns, tiled walls, coved top-lit
ceiling. The front room, originally Lending, has a fine
cast-iron spiral stair, the balcony above is now under-ceiled.
A copy of the original architect's plan is kept at the
library.
Interior of police house not inspected but the architect's
plan shows that this was a police residence (for 4 officers
according to the newspaper report of the opening), with
entrance stair/hall, kitchen to right with rear scullery off,
and parlour opening into the office left.
The library was opened by the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Mr A Currer
Briggs, and was designed by a prominent Leeds architect. WH
Thorp also designed the City Art Gallery and Oxford Place
Methodist church (qqv).
Listing NGR: SE3054837026
