Description

SE 39 SE ROMAN BOROUGHBRIDGE ROAD
(east side)
0/859 County Hall

II*
County Council headquarters. 1904-1914 by W H Brierley for North Riding of
Yorkshire County Council. Neo-Wren Style. Ashlar and red brick in English
bond, with ashlar dressings and graduated Westmorland slate roof. Square
courtyard plan. Main front of 15 bays with 23 bay returns. In centre of
courtyard a square building housing the council chamber. To rear of left
return a 9 bay wind. Two storeys throughout except 3 central bays of main
front with attic storey. Continuous moulded ashlar plinth throughout. Main
front: 15 bays, 1:5:3:5:1. Central 3 bays break forward, with centre bay
of ashlar and flanking bays of red brick. 7 steps up to central double half-
glazed doors in round arched doorway with impost band and moulded archivolt
with console keystone which supports balcony above. Central bay is flanked
by full height engaged Corinthian columns, bays to each side have full height
Corinthian pilasters set on ashlar strips which clasp the corners. Side bays
have round arched windows with glazing bars, impost bands, moulded archivolts
and double keystones. First floor: large casement windows with glazing bars,
outer windows have shouldered aprons with fielded panels. All have moulded
architraves with frieze and cornices. Central window leads on to balcony
with cast iron balustrade. Above the window cornice, set in a semi-circle,
are the county arms, surrounded by foliage decoration. Window and arms set
in wide eared, round arched architrave with large double keystone. Frieze
with dosserets over the columns and pilasters, modillioned cornice, open pediment
to central bay. Attic storey has oculi to outer bays in moulded architraves,
stepped end piers and stepped panel over central bay. Moulded copings. Hipped
roof, banded ashlar and brick corniced end stacks. Flanking 5 bay brick wings
have unequally hung 15 pane ground floor sashes with segmental heads in eared
architraves with double keystones, and sills, each with a plain ashlar apron
below. Ashlar band at impost level of windows. First floor: unequally hung
15 pane sashes in eared and shouldered architraves with moulded sills, stone
bands at lintel and sill level of windows. Moulded cornice,low parapets with
moulded copings. Pair of brick ridge stacks with round arched panels to sides,
to each wing. Outer bays break forward with raised ashlar quoins and raised
ashlar central panel. To the left bay this panel has full height panelled
pilasters to either side and a central ground floor unequally hung 15 pane
sash in eared and shouldered architrave with double keystone. Continuous
sill band. First floor: large round arched window with glazing bars, set
back in eared and shouldered architrave with double keystone. Below the sill
is a central shield flanked by large festoons in Wren style. First floor
window, breaks through moulded cornice. Low parapet, stepped up section over
the window decorated with festoons, cornice and blocking course to top.
Right bay similar. Hipped roofs. Corniced ridge stacks with round arched
panels. Return elevations in similar style; segmental arched sashes with
aprons to ground floor and taller sashes over, all in architraves. Every
fourth bay of right return is in ashlar, bays 4, 12 and 20 are advanced and
pedimented. Central courtyard houses boiler-house with council chamber above.
To first floor each facade has large Diocletian window, breaking through
the cornice. Hipped roof with arched dormers containing round windows.
To top a square cupola, each side with pedimented louvred opening; lead dome
with weathervane.
Interior; Council chamber has Baroque detailing, domed ceiling set in heavily
coffered window arches supported by Corinthian columns. Pendentives have
plain circle motifs. Dome lit by 4 round windows. The grand Committee Room
has full height Corinthian column screen. Doorways have moulded architraves,
friezes and segmental pediments. Good fire surround with Ionic columns, frieze
and cornice. Eared and shouldered overmantel with swagged coat of arms in pediment
above. Cornice with dentils and modillions. Entrance hall and main staircase:
groin vaulted entrance hall on Tuscan columns leads to grand Imperial staircase
with large panelled newels, bulbous balusters and polished stone handrail.
C16 statue to top of stairs of Samson killing the Philistine. Above staircase,
an oval drum with balustraded gallery, ceiling supported by triple Tuscan
columns. Elaborate Baroque plasterwork. To rear of top landing, three round
arches with archivolts and double keystones, central arch on Tuscan columns.
Corridors: groin vaulted on Tuscan pilasters with black and white marble
floors. Source: 'Brierley in Yorkshire' by Patrick Nuttgens, York Georgian
Society 1984 pp24-26.

Listing NGR: SE3658293192

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• County Hall at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17535426

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

• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)