Teesdale District Council Offices Teesdale District Council Offices And Attached Walls

Teesdale District Council Offices, located at Nos. 43 and 45 Galgate in Barnard Castle, is a house that has been converted into local authority offices. The building dates from around 1840, with an addition made in the 1930s on the King Street front. It is constructed of coursed squared sandstone, featuring an ashlar plinth, quoins, and dressings, topped with a slate roof that has an ashlar parapet and both stone and rendered chimneys. The 20th-century addition is designed in an 18th-century style.

The building has two storeys and a five-window range, with a two plus two plus one-window range on the right return. There are steps leading up to a six-panel door with a patterned overlight, all set in a plain stone surround with a cornice. The windows are sashes with glazing bars, also in plain stone surrounds. The high roof parapet at the eaves is prominent, while the low-pitched hipped roof features two long ridge chimneys—one rendered and one stone—both with bands and tapered square yellow pots.

On the right return facing King Street, the original structure has two windows flanking the main office entrance, which consists of a panelled door beneath a patterned overlight, all framed by a Greek Doric doorcase with attached columns, an entablature, and a blocking course. The 1930s addition to the right is two storeys high with a two-window range and quoins. It has plain stone surrounds for the central door and flanking sashes with glazing bars. The roof features a high parapet raised over a central carved panel displaying the Council coat of arms. To the right, there is a lower wide bay with quoins, which includes a well-cut Venetian window with a keyed head and a plain sill apron. The eaves band is stepped over the window.

The forecourt is enclosed by attached walls that have sloped stone coping and chamfered coping on square piers, although the railings have been removed. A plaque on No. 45 indicates that this was the birthplace of Cecil Northcote Parkinson, the author known for formulating "Parkinson's Law."