Description

LEEDS

SE2934NE WOODHOUSE LANE, University Campus
714-1/72/446 (West side)
19/01/88 Parkinson Building incl Brotherton
Library, Chemistry and Engineering,
and wall

II

University buildings with attached wall. 1929-1936 and 1950.
Designed 1929 by Lanchester and Lodge for the University of
Leeds, the Chemistry and Engineering building opened 1932, the
Brotherton Library 1936 and the Parkinson Building (patron F
Parkinson) 1950. Portland stone to principal facades; brick
with ashlar dressings to others; roof not visible.
Parkinson Building facing east (onto Woodhouse Lane) of 3 main
storeys with basement and recessed 2-storey attic and clock
tower; behind it, the 3-storey, circular, domed Brotherton
Library; attached to both, on the N, the 3-storey Chemistry
and Engineering Building.
Principal facades have ground-floor band; dentilled
first-floor cornice with animal heads; plainer 2nd-floor
cornice; band and parapet to attic. Windows throughout are
metal-framed with transoms and margin glazing bars.
Parkinson Building, E front: symmetrical 9:5:9 bays.
Rusticated basement. Centre block breaks forward with 4 giant,
fluted Ionic columns in antis, reached by a full-width flight
of steps; within, 3 glazed doors with panelled reveals;
windows either side and above; above the 2nd floor forms
parapet surmounted by flagpole.
Basement windows are segmental-arched in raised surrounds with
tripartite keystones; on ground floor, alternate windows have
apron panels and bracketed pediments; attic windows are
smaller and have panels below and between, with blind sections
at either end and 7-bay section breaks forward flanking clock
tower.
Clock tower is of 4 stepped stages; the tall lower stage has
angle pilasters, window at base and clock face at top; 2nd and
3rd stages have 3-light mullioned windows and cornices; blind
4th stage surmounted by pyramidal cap.
The 4-bay returns each have a giant distyle in antis; a
recessed end bay with stair windows, lined on lower floors and
in round arched keyed surround on 2nd floor; left return also
has a basement porch with panelled door.
Set back from the main elevation, of 3 storeys, and in same
style are 4 bays on left and 15 bays on right (Chemistry and
Engineering), the latter having central 9-bay break; steps up

to central, panelled, double door under traceried overlight in
corniced architrave; above door, recess and cross window in
pulvinated architrave with foliage-decorated sill. Fronting
the building is attached low stone wall, stepping up hill,
with flat coping and short circular piers.
North front (Chemistry and Engineering): on left, 21 bays in
same style; then plainer 6, and 8-bay range set back. Left
part: symmetrical 5:1:9:1:5 bays, successively breaking
forward to culminate in central 9-bay bow which has giant
Ionic pilasters and traceried windows. The 2nd floor blind and
forming parapet; flanking bays have giant angle pilasters and
architraves to ground-floor windows. Plainer range to right
has projecting entrance bay with rusticated basement, giant
round-arched through-way with voussoirs aligned to courses and
flanking pedestrian entrances, and tripartite attic window.
Range to right breaks forward and continues in brick.
INTERIOR: good contemporary fittings throughout, but
principally in the Parkinson Building and Brotherton Library.
The former has long, 2-storey entrance hall with Hopton Wood
limestone panels and gallery and imperial stair at either end,
giant, polished stone fluted columns; Classical entablature
with modillion cornice; coffered ceiling, the panels with
decorative borders and elaborate finned lights.
Brotherton Library: 20 columns of Swedish green marble, each
composed of 3 drums weighing 3 tons each, with composite
bronze capitals and bases and modillion cornice supporting
gallery which has coffered underside, decorative iron
balustrade and radial bookcases; dome is coffered with small
glazed lights around centre; elaborate finned lights.
(Linstrum D: West Yorkshire: Architects and Architecture:
London: 1978-).

Listing NGR: SE2955434715

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Brotherton Library at Wikipedia
• Brotherton Library official website
• Parkinson Building at Wikipedia
• Wikidata IDs Q4975734 Q7138541

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.

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