Wearside Masonic Temple With Attached Walls And Gates

The Wearside Masonic Temple, located on Burdon Road in Sunderland, was built in 1932 by C.A. Clayton-Greene and is designed in a Neo-Greek style. The structure features thin brick in stretcher bond, with an ashlar plinth, dressings, and end pavilions. The roof is not visible, but the brick walls are topped with stone coping and complemented by wrought and cast-iron gates.

The north front facing Park Road has one tall storey with five windows. The plinth includes wide plain openings for fixed lights. A prominent central section features a porch with a wide surround, supported by columns in antis and pilasters adorned with stylised Acanthus capitals. The top panel of the porch has a fluted band and an acroterion finial, leading to internal steps that access a double door with many panels and a fishscale overlight, all framed by an architrave decorated with squared Tudor roses. The corner pavilions have similar capitals and are flanked by paired margined fixed lights under rubbed brick arches, while the outer sections are recessed beneath top panels. The top entablature is enhanced by fluted bands and low pediments over the pavilions, with a brick attic above the centre featuring three wide raised brick blind frames, topped by a blocking course and a low-pitched pediment.

The left return to Burdon Road displays four lights in the brick centre and single lights in the pavilions. Inside, the entrance hall showcases green marble doorcases, Ionic columns and pilasters, a fluted frieze with paterae, and a panelled ceiling. A wrought-iron lift cage for Medway's lift is marked with SL monograms for Sunderland Lodge. The stone stair surrounding the lift features moulded brass handrails on wrought-iron balustrades with paterae. The main temple on the first floor is distinguished by lotus capitals on fluted pilasters of panelled walls and a fluted frieze on the panelled ceiling. High-quality finishes are present throughout the building, and the first-floor landing includes war memorial tablets. The garden walls are topped with chamfered coping and tall square corniced piers, while the wrought-iron gates feature cast-iron panels with a lotus pattern.