General Post Office With Basement Railings Norwich Union House

The General Post Office with basement railings, also known as Norwich Union House, was built in 1896 and designed by Sir Henry Tanner. It is situated on City Square, Leeds, and includes the building at No. 10 Quebec Street. The building is constructed of ashlar stone, with slate and lead roofs, and features cast-iron railings. It is executed in a Classical style.

The principal facade facing City Square has a wide central bay of three storeys and an attic, with the ground floor extending through two storeys of the flanking four-storey, three-bay ranges, all over basements. Bays 1, 3, 5, and 7 project slightly and are topped by small pediments flanked by octagonal domed turrets and tall corniced chimneys linked by arched sections. Between these projecting bays are semicircular, pedimented gables flanked by urns.

The ground floor centre features a shallow, splayed Roman Doric arcade of five arches, originally containing wood-framed round-arched windows carved with Ionic columns. Flanking entrances have paired Ionic columns and pediments supported on console brackets carved with Classical figures holding writing instruments. The first floor is divided by Corinthian pilasters, with four attached columns featuring sculpted draped figures representing Art and Science between the second-floor windows. First-floor windows have moulded architraves, segmental pediments, and segmental bowed balustraded balconies; the second-floor windows are plain rectangular with flat pilasters between. Moulded cornices are present at each floor level, along with a modillion eaves cornice and parapet, and five wooden pedimented dormers. A tall, slender clock tower is centrally positioned, featuring angle pilasters, pediments, corner urns, and an octagonal domed cupola.

The left return, facing Quebec Street, is of a plainer style with three, two, three, seven, and three round-arched windows on the ground floor; the three-window bays slightly project with pedimented gables, and a central pedimented dormer window is flanked by corniced chimneys.

The right return, onto Infirmary Street, retains a gable end and one bay of the original east wing, along with a panelled door and attached columns supporting a pediment.

The interior features Ionic columns with swags that mirror those on the exterior.

The building has railings to the front, left, and right returns. These railings are characterised by panels with scrolls and flowers, and urn finials.