Description

LEEDS

SE2934NE WOODHOUSE LANE, University Campus 714-1/72/446 (West side) 19/01/88 Parkinson Building incl Brotherton Library, Chemistry and Engineering, and wall

II

University buildings with attached wall. 1929-1936 and 1950. Designed 1929 by Lanchester and Lodge for the University of Leeds, the Chemistry and Engineering building opened 1932, the Brotherton Library 1936 and the Parkinson Building (patron F Parkinson) 1950. Portland stone to principal facades; brick with ashlar dressings to others; roof not visible. Parkinson Building facing east (onto Woodhouse Lane) of 3 main storeys with basement and recessed 2-storey attic and clock tower; behind it, the 3-storey, circular, domed Brotherton Library; attached to both, on the N, the 3-storey Chemistry and Engineering Building. Principal facades have ground-floor band; dentilled first-floor cornice with animal heads; plainer 2nd-floor cornice; band and parapet to attic. Windows throughout are metal-framed with transoms and margin glazing bars. Parkinson Building, E front: symmetrical 9:5:9 bays. Rusticated basement. Centre block breaks forward with 4 giant, fluted Ionic columns in antis, reached by a full-width flight of steps; within, 3 glazed doors with panelled reveals; windows either side and above; above the 2nd floor forms parapet surmounted by flagpole. Basement windows are segmental-arched in raised surrounds with tripartite keystones; on ground floor, alternate windows have apron panels and bracketed pediments; attic windows are smaller and have panels below and between, with blind sections at either end and 7-bay section breaks forward flanking clock tower. Clock tower is of 4 stepped stages; the tall lower stage has angle pilasters, window at base and clock face at top; 2nd and 3rd stages have 3-light mullioned windows and cornices; blind 4th stage surmounted by pyramidal cap. The 4-bay returns each have a giant distyle in antis; a recessed end bay with stair windows, lined on lower floors and in round arched keyed surround on 2nd floor; left return also has a basement porch with panelled door. Set back from the main elevation, of 3 storeys, and in same style are 4 bays on left and 15 bays on right (Chemistry and Engineering), the latter having central 9-bay break; steps up

to central, panelled, double door under traceried overlight in corniced architrave; above door, recess and cross window in pulvinated architrave with foliage-decorated sill. Fronting the building is attached low stone wall, stepping up hill, with flat coping and short circular piers. North front (Chemistry and Engineering): on left, 21 bays in same style; then plainer 6, and 8-bay range set back. Left part: symmetrical 5:1:9:1:5 bays, successively breaking forward to culminate in central 9-bay bow which has giant Ionic pilasters and traceried windows. The 2nd floor blind and forming parapet; flanking bays have giant angle pilasters and architraves to ground-floor windows. Plainer range to right has projecting entrance bay with rusticated basement, giant round-arched through-way with voussoirs aligned to courses and flanking pedestrian entrances, and tripartite attic window. Range to right breaks forward and continues in brick. INTERIOR: good contemporary fittings throughout, but principally in the Parkinson Building and Brotherton Library. The former has long, 2-storey entrance hall with Hopton Wood limestone panels and gallery and imperial stair at either end, giant, polished stone fluted columns; Classical entablature with modillion cornice; coffered ceiling, the panels with decorative borders and elaborate finned lights. Brotherton Library: 20 columns of Swedish green marble, each composed of 3 drums weighing 3 tons each, with composite bronze capitals and bases and modillion cornice supporting gallery which has coffered underside, decorative iron balustrade and radial bookcases; dome is coffered with small glazed lights around centre; elaborate finned lights. (Linstrum D: West Yorkshire: Architects and Architecture: London: 1978-).



Listing NGR: SE2955434715

External Links

• Brotherton Library at Wikipedia
• Brotherton Library official website
• Parkinson Building at Wikipedia
• Wikidata IDs Q4975734 Q7138541

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

• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)