Description

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE

NZ 2465 SE QUEEN VICTORIA ROAD
1833/14/10102 (Southeast side)
19-JUN-00 ARMSTRONG BUILDING

(Formerly listed as:
QUEEN VICTORIA STREET
ARMSTRONG BUILDING)

II

College of Science, built for the University of Durham. 1887-1906. Designed by Robert J Johnson, F W Rich and W H Knowles. Red brick with ashlar dressings and plain tile roofs. Tree storey plus attics.
Main street front 15 windows arranged 2,5,1,5,2. The central bay occupied by tall seven storey square tower with octagonal corner turrets. Central round headed doorway in moulded ashlar surround with projecting Ionic portico and flanking narrow lights. Either side projecting square blocks with niches and Ionic pilasters. Above large Diocletian window crossed by pairs of Doric columns with bold corner buttresses topped by symbolic figures. Second floor has 3-light cross casement windows flanked by pairs of Ionic columns with narrow side lights beyond. Third floor has similar articulation though with Corinthian columns topped by an open segmental pediment bearing a coat-of-arms. Next stage largely blind. Bell stage above has three round headed openings to each face, the central one articulated with Ionic columns and segmental pediments, topped with ornate stone parapet and octagonal corner towers capped with small domes. Either side 3 storey recessed 5 window ranges have central windows flanked by canted bay windows and beyond single windows, all topped by parapets. Recessed attic storey above. Gabled end pavilions have triple ground floor windows in elaborate ashlar surrounds, above blank central arch flanked by single 3-light cross casements, upper floor has central recessed window with Ionic columns in antis flanked by cross casements. Balustrade above with tripartite window in columned surround in the gables. Coped gables have massive domed corner finials.
Similar gabled wings to both returns.
Main irregular quadrangle facade has central hall section with large two storey canted bay window to right, and 3 hall windows to left. Left range heavily buttressed with two window gable and beyond seven window range and then projecting end pavilion with gable. Right range has eight windows with alternate buttresses and eight gabled dormer windows. Octagonal turret beyond with glazed cupola capped with ogee leaded dome.
South-east rear facade has Tudor style central gatehouse with four-centred stone archway, octagonal corner towers and four-storey canted oriel window. Top section has similar canted bay windows to sides and canted staircase projection to rear. Flanking facades have tall stepped buttresses with three-light windows to lower two floors between and gabled dormer window windows above. Right facade has large canted bay window rising through two floors.
South-west front has simple plain many gabled facade hidden by two storey late twentieth century extension not of special interest.
INTERIOR has important contemporary decoration in the main entrance hall, marble-lined corridor, main staircase, senate room and great hall. Great hall has wooden panelling, gallery and elaborate wooden roof with fine plaster panels.
Foundation stone laid by Sir W G Armstrong 15 June 1887, opened by King Edward VII in 1906.

Listing NGR: NZ2465365074

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26660766

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

• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)