County Hall (Offices Of West Yorkshire County Council)

1. BOND STREET 5115 (South West Side) -------- County Hall (offices of West Yorkshire County Council) (formerly listed under Wood Street). SE 3220 NE 1/90 SE 522l 3/90 30.3.71.

I GV 2. 1894-98 by Gibson and Russell with additions of 1912 and 1915. Large, imposing building of an Art Nouveau character with Italian qualities to the decorations. Materials and workmanship of highest quality. Exterior of Grindleford stone ashlar richly carved with designs both heraldic and symbolic by W Birnie Rhind of Edinburgh who also made the interior sculpture. Main front elevation has central section of 4 wide bays. Stepped back upper floors have round headed windows containing stained glass by W Smith of London. 2nd floor windows within an Order, 1st floor arcaded. Projecting end sections, under scrolled, stepped, pedimented gables have 3 or 4 closely set windows. To north, a set back 3 window section with a doorway in the angle and an octagonal corner turret with spire. To south a set-back canted link to a 5-storey hexagonal tower with freestanding columns below a stone dome. The shorter elevation to Cliff Parade also has 3 decorative gables and the long rear elevation of 18 wide bays is roughly divided into 3 by projecting gabled bays. Here the 2nd floor is arcaded, the 1st floor has an entablature and window pilasters and the ground floor has wide round arches whose mouldings fade into the jambs. Interior of exceptional richness and splendid craftsmanship. Staircase of Hoptonwood stone; Council Chamber lined with Northumberland stone and mahogany panelling. Sequoia and oak are also used. Light fittings and switch plates are of varied metals specially designed and differing from room to room. There is much sculpture in the Council Chamber and in the ante-room a large polychrome relief plaster frieze of scenes from the Wars of the Roses, by C Fehr of London. Many inlaid marble floors and much hardwood panelling throughout.

Listing NGR: SE3295521008