Description

DEWSBURY CB HALIFAX ROAD
SE 22 SW (Dewsbury)

2/45
Municipal Buildings
11/4/85

II

Former Dewsbury Infirmary in Gothic Revival style. Dated in roundel
on left stack 1881. Architects, named on stone at base of left stack,
Kirk & Sons. Pitch-faced stone with ashlar dressings. Hipped slate
roofs with some gables. The main block is T-shaped, the top of which
forms the main facade to the road. A further long side wing adjoins
to the right and terminates in 2 diagonally-set square towers with
sprocketed pavilion roofs. The main facade is near-symmetrical and
of 5-bays by 2½ storeys with bold central clock tower. The main
entrance breaks forward with diagonal buttresses and has wide moulded
cambered head above which, at 1st floor level, is a canted oriel with
enriched base, and parapet to steep roof. Surmounting this roof is
a well carved figure of a woman and 3 children within a niche with
elaborate cusped and crocketed canopy. This is flanked to each side
by a panel with shield with similar canopy. This group is above
eaves level, and above it is a 4-light group in the base of the clock
tower. A very deep and enriched corbel table and cornice supports
the sprocketed pavilion roof of the clock tower which has its clock
face in an elaborate crocketed gabled dormer, with elaborate flanking
pinnacles. The side bays of the main facade have single and paired
lights, in a near-symmetrical arrangement, with cusped arched lights.
Each bay has a gable dormer. The end elevations of this block have
good projecting stacks with good ashlar work to the tops.
The left side elevation is of 5 bays with central gabled entrance with
wide glass canopy on elaborate iron brackets. Above in a 3-light
staircase window with plate tracery. Large paired windows to left
and right.

The right, side wing is of 7 bays by 3 storeys. 2nd floor windows
have cambered head with pointed arch over. Large, later ground floor
extension in keeping. The corner towers have slender 2-light windows
to the sides and 3-light windows to the front. Between the towers,
at 2nd floor level, is an elaborate stone balcony on massive stone
corbels, and with pierced parapet.

The very high standard of ashlar work is noteworthy.

Listing NGR: SE2416522247

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26478777

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

• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)