St James Hospital Chapel

LEEDS

SE33SW BECKETT STREET, Sheepscar 714-1/11/1102 (West side) 22/11/74 St James' Hospital Chapel

GV II

Chapel. 1858-61. By Perkin and Backhouse of Leeds. Red brick and stone dressings, with decorative blue and white brickwork, slate roof (diminishing courses). PLAN: cruciform plan with apsidal 'east' end. Pedimented gables, cornice. Moulded round-arch Romanesque style windows. EXTERIOR: SE entrance front: steps up to paired round-headed doors in moulded stone arch, attached columns, blind arcade and rose window above, all in elaborate round-arched recess; flanking 2-light windows, moulded cornice to pediment. Tower in S angle with 3-light belfry, clock face above and slated spire; circular stair turret in E angle with round-arched doorway, round window, arcaded 'campanile' and conical roof. INTERIOR: much use of polychrome brickwork (black, red and white): 6-bay nave, carved stone corbels support open trusses with trefoil piercings; wide chancel arch, paired arches to transepts, all with carved capitals with flowers, birds and animals. Carved stone font, square base, attached columns, carved octagonal bowl; pulpit has red and white marble shafts, Gothic arcading to pierced panels, angel supporting book rest. On the N wall: plaque erected by Leeds Board of Guardians to commemorate the nurses of Leeds Township Infirmary who died during the First World War or during the epidemic of influenza, 1917-1918. The Leeds New Workhouse just to the NE was built in 1858, the chapel is probably contemporary; the premises were Leeds Township Infirmary by 1874. (RCHME: Report: St James's University Hospital: 1995-).

Listing NGR: SE3172334679