The Old Station House, Leadenham, Lincolnshire

Summary

Former railway station built in 1876 for the Great Northern Railway. The C20 lean-to brick extension on the east elevation, the single-storey stone extension added to the lean-to at the north end, the garage attached to the north-west corner of this, the early-C21 conservatory and attached new house to the south, are not included in the listing.

Description

Former railway station built in 1876 for the Great Northern Railway.

MATERIALS: coursed, rock-faced Ancaster stone with flush ashlar dressings and pantile roof covering.

PLAN: the west-facing building has a linear plan consisting of the station master’s house at the north end with a lean-to on the gable end, a central element comprising the former waiting/ room lobby and ticket office, and a south range formerly housing the ladies’ waiting room, lamp room and gentlemen’s WC.

The C20 lean-to brick extension on the east elevation, the single-storey stone extension added to the lean-to at the north end, and the garage attached to the north-west corner of this, are not depicted on the current Ordnance Survey map. These extensions, together with the early-C21 conservatory and attached new house to the south, are not included in the listing.

EXTERIOR: the building has a chamfered plinth, quoins and pitched roofs with exposed rafter feet and plain bargeboards. The two ashlar ridge stacks and single lateral stack have rock-faced stone plinths and moulded oversailing cornices. The central two-storey element has three bays (formerly the waiting room/ lobby) and a slightly projecting crosswing to the north (formerly the station master’s house). On the entrance front, the gable end of the crosswing has a recessed C20 door and overlight, and a pair of four-over-four pane sash windows above. All the openings have blocked surrounds with slightly pointed heads, and the windows are mostly C20 replacements. The three bays to the right have six-over-six pane sashes on both floors of the first and third bays. The centrally placed double-leaf door was salvaged from a bank, and above this the first-floor window is blind. On the left of this element is a lean-to lit by a small two-over-two pane sash. On the right is the long, narrow single-storey south range which has a ridge stack. This is lit on the west side by a small four-over-four pane sash, and another small C20 window to the right.

The central element of the east platform front has a C20 brick lean-to enclosing the recessed area originally covered by the awning which retains its wooden valencing. The awning provided shelter over the double-leaf door leading from the waiting room, which has been replaced with a C20 glazed door, and is flanked by large six-over-six pane sashes which are original. The first-floor is lit on the first and third bays by six-over-six pane sashes, whilst the central window is blind. To the right, the crosswing is lit on both floors by a pair of narrow four-over-four pane sashes, and the lean-to by a large sash window. To the left is the single-storey south range which formerly had a pitched roof over the ladies’ waiting room and a flat roof over the other rooms, now heightened to include a timber-clad first floor. The two door openings on the left have been partially blocked to create windows. The pair of windows to the right is C20 but the surrounds are original.

INTERIOR: as a result of the conversion of the station to domestic use, little of the fixtures and fittings remain, although the basic plan form survives with the exception of the ticket office and waiting room which have been converted into one large room.

History

The station at Leadenham was built in 1876 for the Great Northern Railway (GNR). It was part of the 18-mile Lincoln to Grantham line laid out by Joseph Cubitt, the GNR’s Engineer, and his assistant W. M. Brydone. The five intermediate village stations that were provided between the two towns all had the same basic design. Most were built of red brick but the local landowner, Lieut-Gen. J. Reeve of Leadenham Hall, insisted that the station here be constructed of local stone. The station plan consisted of a central waiting room/ lobby and ticket office. Attached on the left was a ladies’ waiting room, lamp room and gentlemen’s WC; and on the right the station master’s house with a sitting room and kitchen/ service room in a lean-to, and three bedrooms. The central element was recessed to provide a sheltered waiting area under an awning.

The Ordnance Survey maps of 1887 and 1905 show the station building on the west side of the railway tracks, a waiting shelter on the opposite platform, a signal box to the north, and goods shed further to the north. The shelter and signal box have since been removed and the goods shed used as an agricultural depot. The station closed in 1965 and became a residential property in the early 1970s. In the early 1980s a second floor was added to the single-storey south range formerly comprising the ladies’s waiting room, lamp room and gentlemen’s WC. In 2003 the building was restored and in 2009/10 it was divided into two residential units. The smaller unit consisting of the south range was then connected via a conservatory to a new two-storey L-shaped house. The station building has also been extended on the north gable end and on the former platform (east) side.

Reasons for Listing

The Old Station House, built in 1876 for the Great Northern Railway, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Architectural interest: it is a good example of a station built for the Great Northern Railway in the 1870s and has a well-proportioned composition with attractive ashlar dressings;
* Historic interest: despite its conversion to domestic use, it has kept its original architectural character and remains legible as a former railway station.

External Links

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