Bankfield Museum And Screen Wall To Forecourt

Bankfield Museum, built in 1857 and possibly 1867, is a stone mansion with an irregular, extended shape. It has two main storeys above a basement and features a hipped, slated roof. The building exhibits an Italianate style with elements reminiscent of 14th and 15th-century architecture, particularly noticeable in the later main entrance block. This entrance block has an exposed, rusticated basement and a carriage porch that is now enclosed. The upper storeys are adorned with arcading, and a low belvedere tower rises behind, providing light to the staircase. The west and south sides of the building also have two storeys with arcaded loggias, although these have been partly altered.

To the east of the forecourt stands a screen wall with a bowed center. The interior of the main block is of considerable interest, although much of it is obscured by temporary fittings. A good entrance stair made of marble leads up to the main hall, which is top-lit and features painted decoration. Other rooms in the building appear to be of quality but are currently divided by partitions and false ceilings. Bankfield was constructed for Colonel Akroyd, whose mills and the model village of Akroydon are located on the west side of Boothtown Road.