Description

SUNDERLAND

NZ3957SW GILL BRIDGE AVENUE
920-1/17/88 (West side)
10/11/78 Magistrates' Court

GV II

Shown on O.S. as Central Police Station.
Magistrates' courts. 1905. By W and TR Milburn, and Wills and
Anderson; JW White contractor. Opened 1907. Ashlar with roof
of graduated slates now coated. Free Baroque style.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys and tower; 1:3:5:1:1 windows, the 3-bay
section projecting under pediment, the right end bay an open
arch to rear wing, the tower in the second bay from the right.
Round-headed arches in end bays, at left containing 6-panel
door and overlight in plain surround, at right an open arch
with low relief PUBLIC in panel above. Tower has rusticated
Ionic pilasters with open pediment to double doors and
overlight; tall second stage, with balcony window set in door
pediment and 2 small slits below swags and broken pediment on
top panel containing clock. Lantern above has corner clusters
of square columns with prominent cornice to each cluster
supporting ogee scrolls and ball finial. 5-bay section has
similar doors and overlights in central and right bays in
rusticated surrounds and voussoirs. All overlights have
glazing bars, as have all ground-floor windows which are in
similar rusticated surrounds, with aprons to plinth suspended
from moulded sills. First floor string supports projecting
centres of aprons to upper windows of 5-bay section, with
cartouches between windows; all first-floor windows with
hollow-chamfered recessed surrounds and transoms, the wider
ones mullioned. 3-bay pedimented projection has narrow windows
flanking centre with recessed upper storey, the recess rising
behind the cornice into the pediment with a semicircular
light. Stepped blocking course above pediment has swagged
centre panels. Balustraded roof parapet except to pediment and
tower; ridge chimneys.
Right return has 2 storeys, 12 windows (2:3:3:4) in similar
style to the front, the central 3 a projecting entrance with a
tall attic storey containing 2 keyed oeil-de-boeuf, swags and
drops of leaves. Mansard roof on this wing has dormer
casements with glazing bars, and panelled ridge chimneys. Rear
has high Diocletian windows.
INTERIOR: shows much approporiate detail, iron stair
balustrade with wrought flower and leaf decoration, wide grip
handrail. Brass plaque giving building dates signed R Youll
SC.

Listing NGR: NZ3936657128

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26503408

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

• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback