Sutton Police Station, Gate Piers and Police Lamps

Sutton Police Station, Gate Piers and Police Lamps

This Metropolitan police station was built in 1908 to a design by John Dixon Butler, refurbished in 1936, and extended in 1998. It is an unusually elaborate example of a Metropolitan police station constructed in a suburban area, where a more domestic composition could be adopted.

The building is constructed of red brick with Portland stone dressings, timber windows, and a slate roof.

The police station faces north onto Carshalton Road and is broadly E-shaped in plan. The public entrance at the centre leads to the victim interview room and late 20th-century reception desk. Behind this to the south is a central rear wing housing the former charging desk and cell block. The western end contains the former court room, forming the western wing. The eastern end has an office section, with a 1998 extension behind it to the south. Two sets of stairs at the western and eastern ends provide access to the first and second floors, where offices are located, some of which were formerly domestic accommodation.

The principal elevation consists of five symmetrical bays over two storeys with attics, and an asymmetrical single-storey section to the west. All bays are constructed of red brick with Portland stone dressings and detailing, featuring Ionic pilasters at the corners and a deep modillion eaves cornice. The hipped slate roof carries three central dormers: two with segmental roofs and a central pedimented example. The ground floor has two canted bays at each end, with narrow paired sash windows between them. All ground-floor windows have stone cornices with dentils above each sash. All sashes on the principal elevations are horned and multi-paned; the bays have six over six panes, and the paired examples are four over four.

The central stone entrance features a moulded stone door-case employing free-flowing curves and triangular scallops to enliven its classical form, typical of Butler's best work. Above is a stepped cornice inscribed with the word 'POLICE'. This entrance is approached via three steps with side piers. The piers are stone with inset panels; mounted on them are ornate iron filigree bases supporting traditional dark blue police lanterns with circular metal caps. The entrance itself comprises a pair of timber panelled doors with small glazed panes at the top.

The single-storey western section (former courthouse) consists of three bays and has a timber door to the main entrance (now disused), set in a moulded stone doorcase in simplified classical style, attached to a stone bow window with four over four sashes. Towards the western end is a tall pedimented gable with a high-set oculus window in a stone surround with pronounced keystones. On the western return of the former courthouse, ground-floor fenestration includes oversized square sashes and a double-height sash window. The upper section of the western elevation of the main building is surmounted by a pair of tall brick chimney stacks. Rear fenestration consists of an irregular pattern of sashes, with some replacement metal casements.

The eastern elevation features tall and narrow sash windows with four over four panes. At ground floor level is a short projecting brick chimney stack surmounted with a decorative chamfered moulding. Above are three tall chimney stacks set into the hipped roof.

The rear central wing is more plain, three storeys tall and four bays in length. Fenestration consists predominantly of paired sashes, but at ground floor level the former cells are lit by rectangular windows with stone cills and multi-paned glazing separated by iron bars. There are three external chimney stacks, two paired and one at the rear elevation which is stepped and originates at first-floor level. Two bays to the rear elevation include one set of paired sashes at third-floor level.

The single-storey south-eastern extension of 1998 is functional in design and appearance, abutting the original station via a connecting corridor.

Interior spaces are functional, with cornices where fitted now hidden under false ceilings. There are no visible chimneypieces or fireplaces. A timber panelled vestibule (victim interview room) off the main entrance has high-level multi-paned glazed lights designed to borrow light from the main reception area. The former cells retain vestigial fittings including bell-pushes, door hinges, a toilet stall, and a timber bench. Both staircases are open-well. The eastern domestic staircase is timber with a closed string, painted stick balusters, and a varnished square-section hand-rail. The operational stairs to the west have concrete treads and a geometrical wrought-iron handrail set into a low snaking concrete wall. The former court room is double-height, though now fitted with a suspended ceiling. Within this area is a former door opening (now sealed) with an eared timber architrave. At the south-eastern corner of the building, two former external multi-paned oculus windows in flush brick surrounds and a round-headed timber door (also with an oculus window) now face into a connecting corridor to the 1998 extension.