Description

LEEDS

SE2932NE WATER LANE, Holbeck
714-1/80/857 (South side)
07/07/95 No.99

GV II*

Foundry workshop, now motor repair workshop. 1795-98, altered
late C19. For Matthew Murray. Dark red/brown brick, 5:1
English bond, irregular sizes; corrugated asbestos roof, base
of stack slightly projects, right; stone gable coping.
3-storey gable end of 4 bays facing Water Lane. The building
extends 7 bays to rear: 5 tall single-storey bays and a
2-storey bay.
Facade to street: 3 first-floor windows with cambered heads,
stone sills and 4-pane sashes; tall inserted entrance doors
left, traces of 2 first-floor windows above the lintel.
Blocked loading doors to first and 2nd floors, right.
Rear: a narrow window high in the gable of the 3-storey block
has shallow header-brick arch and 4-pane sash; lower window
with stretcher arch and altered frame. The tall single storey
range to south has a yard entrance on the west side, and two
2-light casements. At the south end the 2-storey bay has been
reduced from 3 storeys and on the west side a fish-belly
girder has been used as a lintel for the (?original) wagon
entrance. South side: 3 original openings- one entrance and 2
blocked windows. A cobbled pathway survives in the yard.
INTERIOR: the central section appears to retain its original
layout - a single large room with the remains of 3 hearths and
flues against the south wall, and a large structural arch
built into the east wall. The south bay has 3 blind arches on
the north wall, and traces of former jack arches on the north
and south walls. Roof structure: the north end has 2 queen
post trusses with iron ties and nailed joints, central and
south sections re-roofed.
HISTORICAL NOTE: the building is considered to be the
substantial remains of the greensand foundry built by Matthew
Murray as part of probably the first integrated engineering
works in the world. Facing onto the courtyard behind No.101
Water Lane (qv), this range stands opposite the dry sand
foundry (qv) and is part of the complex described by James
Watt in 1802, containing 2 air furnaces and a cupola, but no
stove. The range is also depicted in the 1806 view of the
works, when the southern bay was taller.
(Redman RN: The Railway Foundry, Leeds, 1839-1969: Norwich:
1972-; Kilburn Scott E: Matthew Murray, Pioneer Engineer:
Leeds: 1928-: 40).

Listing NGR: SE2964132901

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Round Foundry at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q7371018

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

• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)