Templar Hotel, Leeds
Templar Hotel, Leeds © Historic England
Templar Hotel, Leeds © Historic England

42 Historic Places Listed in Yorkshire in 2019

A first generation telephone box, a 19th-century chapel of rest and the gravestone of the world’s first ever film stars. These are just some of the historic places that have been listed in Yorkshire this year.

42 historic places in Yorkshire have been added to the National Heritage List for England in 2019. As the year draws to a close, we celebrate the sites that have gained protection.

K1 telephone kiosk, Newsholme Dean, near Keighley, West Yorkshire – listed Grade II

This K1 telephone kiosk is located alongside the weir at Dean Beck, in a field at Newsholme Dean. The K1 was Britain's first national telephone box and only a handful survive. This example is most probably an Mk 235 model designed in 1922 by the Office of Engineer in Chief, General Post Office and introduced in the same year. Production ceased in 1927 when a newer model, the Mk 236 was introduced. 

The kiosk was moved from its original location and used in the mid-20th century to store water-flow measuring equipment. This was a common occurrence at the time when older telephone boxes became redundant and were re-purposed by other utility industries - in this case, the water industry.

The Chapel of Rest, Brompton-by-Sawdon, North Yorkshire - listed Grade II

This small chapel was built in 1889 to serve the rural community at Brompton-by-Sawdon. It's an important early work by English architect Temple Lushington Moore. He went on to become one of the country's leading church architects of the Edwardian period. Moore was responsible for building 38 new churches in England, nearly all of which are listed.

Despite its small size, the Chapel of Rest displays a number of features that are characteristic of Moore’s designs, including the use of asymmetry, the subtle variations in stonework and the impression that the building has evolved over centuries, even though it is less than 150 years old.

Gravestone of Joseph and Sarah Whitley at Roundhay St John’s Church, Leeds – listed Grade II

The world’s first motion picture, Roundhay Garden Scene was shot in 1888 by Louis Le Prince on a camera he invented, and starred his in-laws Joseph and Sarah Whitley. At two seconds long it features the pair - together with Le Prince’s son - walking around the garden at their family home in Leeds.

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Le Prince mysteriously vanished in 1890 after boarding a train to Paris. As such, he was never able to profit from his inventions and his contribution to the development of film has been largely overlooked by history.

Joseph and Sarah Whitley’s gravestone is a highly personalised memorial, displaying a strong level of design and craftsmanship. Most notably, it features richly-decorated painted tile work by Le Prince, who was also a ceramic artist as well as the forgotten father of moving film.

A fascinating range of historic places are added to The List each year, and 2019 is no exception. There are more than 400,000 sites on the National Heritage List for England, giving protection to our most valued historic places. Our heritage is a shared delight, which we should look after and enjoy.

Trevor Mitchell, Regional Director for the North East and Yorkshire, Historic England

Pigeon cote, Sewerby Hall, Bridlington, East Riding - listed Grade II

These days, pigeons are often regarded as a nuisance but in the past they were much coveted by the rich and powerful. Wealthy landowners would often build lavish, ornamental pigeon cotes, which provided a source of meat, as well as highlighted their own social status.

The pigeon cote in the grounds of Sewerby Hall was built in the early-19th century by the Greame family. Standing at two storeys high with 296 nest boxes built into the walls, the eye-catching tower-like structure was a grand display of wealth and power.      

Templar Hotel, Leeds, West Yorkshire - listed Grade II

Street corner local pubs were once a common sight in England’s towns and cities but modern commercial pressures mean they are becoming increasingly rare. One surviving example is The Templar Hotel in Leeds. Built in the early-19th century, it was given a major refurbishment in the 1920s, much of which remains intact today.

The outside of the building is clad with impressive green and cream tiling made by Burmantofts, a Leeds-based pottery firm, which exported its products around the world. The inside of the pub is done out in mock Tudor style with beamed ceilings and panelled walls. This was a popular style for public houses in the inter-war years.