Rowton Villas, Offices Of Holderness Borough Council

Rowton Villas, now serving as offices for Holderness Borough Council, was originally constructed as a workhouse in 1838 by John and William Atkinson, with subsequent additions and alterations. The building is constructed of pinkish-brown brick in an English garden wall bond, with gauged brick and stone dressings, and has a Welsh slate roof. The design is roughly U-shaped, comprising a two-story, seven-bay central block, flanked by two lower, three-bay wings, and further ranges to the rear, with the range to the left being truncated.

The central block features a plinth, and the outer bays project slightly, each topped with a pediment containing a two-story, round-arched recess. The main entrance is a six-panel double door with a fanlight, set within a gabled brick porch, which itself has a round-arched opening of gauged brick, moulded bargeboards to the gable, and a flag pole above. Ground floor windows in the end bays have 20-pane sashes with pedimented lintels. Other ground floor windows are 20-pane sashes with radial glazing to the head, set under round arches of gauged brick, with stone sills and recessed brick aprons. The first floor has a continuous sill band across the central bays, aligned with the level of the impost band to the outer bay windows. These are 20-pane sashes with radial glazing to the heads, under round arches of gauged brick. Inserted sash windows have been added: a 20-pane sash between the fifth and sixth bays, and an eight-pane sash between the sixth and seventh bays. A frieze and overhanging eaves are present. The roof is hipped, with rear stacks.

Side ranges incorporate inserted entrances: a four-panel door in a central position on the left range, and an off-centre board door on the right range, both with overlights beneath cambered heads. The left range of the side wings has four 16-pane sashes on the ground floor, while the right range has two 16-pane sashes, one 12-pane sash, and two 9-pane casements. The first floor of the side wings features a mix of 12-pane casements and unequally-hung sashes under cambered heads. The roofs are hipped at the outer ends, with ridge stacks. Original signed plans are held within the Council offices.