Description

SUNDERLAND

NZ3956SE RYHOPE ROAD
920-1/22/191 (East side)
10/11/78 Langham Tower (Sunderland High School)

GV II
(Formerly Listed as Langham Tower (Sunderland Polytechnic)
(Formerly Listed as:RYHOPE ROAD (East side)
Langham Tower (College of Education))

Villa; training college in 1922, part of polytechnic in 1975.
1889-91 by William Milburn for William Adamson, trader in
ships' provisions and oil and son of W Adamson, shipbuilder.
Eclectic style with C16 motifs in mixture of half timber
framing with plaster nogging, some pargeted, ashlar porch, and
brick with ashlar and terracotta dressings, the brick bright
red and hard with dark grey mortar; roof of plain tiles with
terracotta cresting, cast-iron finials, and brick chimneys.
Irregular plan.
EXTERIOR: 2 tall storeys with attics and turrets; 4x5 bays.
3-bay front to Burdon Road has battlemented entrance tower
with timber-framed set-back top storey; ashlar ground floor of
tower has multi-moulded open Tudor arch on 2 orders of Shap
granite nookshafts framing steps up to porch, with side
benches and carved decoration, to panelled door flanked by
windows with etched and bevelled glass; stone oriel above has
sill and eaves bands; impost band to geometric tracery of
3-light mullion window above with elliptical head; corbel
table supports battlements. Steeply-roofed cottage-like
structure above has diagonal bracing to posts and similar
detail in gable with deep eaves and exposed purlins and
rafters. 2-storey range from which tower projects has varied
brick and timber detail, the latter jettied and decorated in
the style of NW England, and big stepped chimney stack
projecting between two right bays decorated with ashlar and
long terracotta panel; steeply-pitched roof on pargetted
coving runs parallel to front. Right return to garden has
varied fenestration, all mullioned and transomed, central
canted bays and right end octagonal turret, some curvilinear
cusping; central gable rising from hipped roof of canted bay
and conical roof on turret have tall finials. Tall brick
chimneys have pilaster strips and cornices.
INTERIOR has much rich decoration. Half-glazed screen from
entrance lobby has etched and bevelled glass with patterns of
grasses, flowers and birds. Stair hall in Jacobean style has
panelled dado to open-well stair and gallery with metal figure
of C17 soldier as gas lampholder on principal newel and melon
finials on others; cusped balustrade pendants to bowed landing
projection; frieze with low relief grotesques; strapwork
ceiling. Large mullioned and transomed stair window signed
Atkinson Bros., Newcastle upon Tyne, has richly coloured
panels with scenes of the arts and technology. 6-panelled
doors throughout have elaborate brass escutcheons, and many
have elaborate surrounds. Dining room, now common room, at
rear right has oak panelling, ceiling with low relief panels
of copper-coloured pressed paper, showing heraldic devices,
and a chimney-piece with richly-coloured tiles; library, now
committee room, at centre right has large arched chimney-piece
with pictures of knights in armour in flanking fire windows;
drawing room at front right has early C20 Rococo stucco
ceiling decoration.
(Potts G: Langham Tower (leaflet): Sunderland; Milburn GE and
Miller ST: Sunderland River, Town and People: Sunderland:
1988-: 160).

Listing NGR: NZ3984456051

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26502291

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)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)