The Station Hotel

SD83NE 1317/11/10149

NELSON HIBSON ROAD The Station Hotel

II Hotel and public house. Dated 1893, with minor late C20 alterations. Finely-coursed thin rubble sandstone with ashlar dressings, coped gables with moulded kneelers and ball finials low gabled dormer windows, elaborate gable and ridge stacks, and slated and red plain tile roof coverings. PLAN: L-shaped plan with principal display elevations facing towards the railway (south and east) and with plainer elevations facing the town.

EXTERIOR: SOUTH ELEVATION: Long 2-storeyed range above basement with off-centre gabled entrance bay of 3 storeys. Gable bears date of 1893. 2 and 3 light mullioned and transomed windows with shallow quoined surrounds below bracketed eaves. First floor window openings set beneath continuous and stepped string course and upon moulded cill course. Doorway to right of gable set within recess formed by elaborate lintol carried on right side upon red granite column. Wide storey band with strapwork ornament. Panelled double doors with overlight. Set-back part to right of doorway terminates at faceted 3-storey corner tower with tiled roof. Wide asymmetrical gable to west end with ashlar band to apex with carved lettering which reads "STATION HOTEL".

EAST ELEVATION: with elaborate canopied doorway with massive corbels and enriched ashlar parapet. Double panelled doors with 2-light overlight. Flanking windows of 2 and 3 lights. To the right of the doorway, a wide canted oriel at first floor level with gable above. Further right, shallow mansard roof links with elaborate triple oriel to north-east corner. This has triangular outer sections which flank a wider curved 3-light window, all with foliage carving to the corbel supports. On return to right, a stone panel with carved lettering which reads "STATION HOTEL".

INTERIOR: Some alteration to plan form, but much original detailing including wall panelling, door joinery and finely-detailed surrounds, ornamental plasterwork, hearths and hearth surrounds, and screens to principal bar areas.

A substantial, imposing and consciously-detailed railway hotel, built at the height of the community's industrial development, and designed to impress those arriving in Nelson. Little altered externally, the building has much surviving internal detail of good quality.

Listing NGR: SD8596137708