Roe Head

SE 12 SE 1/147

MIRFIELD, FAR COMMON ROAD (West Side), Roe Head

GV II

House. Mid C18 with late C18 - early C19 and C20 additions. Coursed squared stone, stone slate roof. Original block 3 storeys, 2 x 5 bays with late C18 - early C19 2-storey, 2-bay block added to north (left) and 2-storey, 4-bay block at right angles to south-east (rear of right return); in angle so formed is a canted 2-storey porch; further C20 additions to north not of special interest. West front: original block on right has paired bows with plinth, cill and eaves bands and 3-light windows with stone surrounds and C20 casements and sashes with glazing bars, that to ground floor left deeper with central door; roof hipped on right; corniced stacks to left end and centre of ridge. 2-bay addition on left has quoins to left, narrow left-hand bay with sash with glazing bars to each floor in stone surround with tiestones and projecting cill; right-hand bay bowed with cill bands to 5-light windows with sashes with glazing bars and tiestones; eaves band; lateral stack to left and one in rear roof pitch. Right return: original block has raised quoins to left; sashes with glazing bars, shorter on2nd floor, in stone surrounds with projecting cills; eaves band; central corniced ridge stack. Later porch has central double doors in projecting corniced surround, 12-pane sashes flanking it and above have cill bands and tiestones. Similar windows to wing, three on ground floor and two above, and to its south gable a bow with 5-light windows as before. Interior: open central staircase. Dining room retains: C18 fireplace with swags, acanthus scrolls, egg and dart mouldings; dado; panelling; egg and dart ceiling cornice. Between 1830 and 1837 the house was rented out as Roe Heath School which was attended by the Bronte Sisters: Charlotte,1831-32, who returned to teach here in 1835; Emily, briefly in 1835; and, after the school had moved to Dewsbury Moor, Anne, 1836-37.

Listing NGR: SE1912521822