Former Post Office, corner of Packer Street and Fleece Street

This list entry was subject to a Minor Enhancement on 13/11/2019

SD 8913 NE 11/85

ROCHDALE, FLEECE STREET 10, Former Post Office, corner of Packer Street and Fleece Street

(Formerly listed as County Court Building, PACKER STREET (east side))

29.03.82

GV

II Former post office, now public house. Built in two phases; the first, comprising the northern three bays, was completed in 1875, the second phase of two bays was added after 1892 in matching style. It was probably built to a design by James Williams (1824-92), the first surveyor for post offices at the Office of Works, an office he held from 1859 to 1884. He designed very similar post offices in classical and Italianate styles at Newcastle and Stockton-on-Tees, for example.

This post office was superseded when the new post office in the Esplanade opened in 1927. The building in Packer Street later became the County Court offices (c1930s-1998) and is now (2019) a public house.

Ashlar. Five bays to Packer Street and three to Fleece Street; three storeys. Symmetrical main elevation but for door in left-hand bay. Major and minor Doric pilasters to ground floor, coupled on side facade with Doric entablature. Windows have rectangular lights over framed by consoles. First floor windows have dentil cornices and moulded architrave. Second floor has guilloche sill band, moulded architraves and heavy entablatures with Greek key and dentil detail.

Listing NGR: SD8967613308