Public Conveniences

Public Conveniences

These public conveniences date from 1904 and are of unknown architect. In the 21st century, the building has been adapted for use as an art exhibition venue.

The building is constructed of ashlar stone with porcelain WC fittings, marble modesty screens and cubicle partitions, and timber partitions and other fittings. Rainwater goods and other fittings are of cast iron.

The single-storey building is irregular in plan and split into two distinct units: Gentlemen's cloakrooms to the south and Ladies' cloakrooms to the north, each with separate entrances. The Gents is set forward towards Woodland Road behind a low wall, with its entrance facing Park Row at the sharply-angled corner of the building. The Ladies' entrance front is set back behind the low wall and a small garden.

The exterior is designed on a Classical theme with banded ashlar elevations. Fluted Ionic pilasters frame the openings beneath a Corinthian architrave, frieze and cornice. The right bays facing Woodland Road contain three windows set under rusticated flat arches with keystones, with a rusticated plinth below cill level. The window frames are timber casements with 6/8/6 pane lights. A central pediment above the cornice features matching mouldings and a datestone keyed with the date 1904. The left bays have similar treatment with a projecting central bay containing a single larger window with etched lower panes inscribed "LADIES" (left) and "CLOAKROOM" (right). A round gable incorporates the cornice. The entrance is approached by three stone steps and flanked by a window to the Gents cubicles. The Gents door has pilasters from which springs a round head with a carved broken pediment above, and is fitted with a cast-iron gate and decorative cast-iron fanlight. The Woodland Rise elevation serving both parts has no openings and a ramped cornice following the uphill slope.

Gents interior: The lobby is divided by three cast-iron modesty screens with marble panels. The main cloakroom is triangular in layout, widening to the north. To the left and right are porcelain urinals with cisterns fixed to walls at upper level (two on the west wall, three on the east wall). The cisterns are stamped "ADAMSEZ SCOTSWOOD ON TYNE" and sit on decorative cast-iron brackets. Windows have cast-iron poles for opening the upper lights. A roof lantern with lights operated by cast-iron poles fixed to the walls at lower level illuminates the space. The rear wall contains two modern sink units and two doors to cubicles, above which is a cast-iron grille. Cast-iron spikes are fixed to the top of the cubicle partition below a small roof lantern. The WC units are modern. To the right of the cubicles is a further door serving a utility cupboard. Floors are covered in black and white encaustic tiles, and walls above dado height are finished in brick-shaped tiles.

Ladies interior: Panelled timber partition walls, some glazed at upper level, form a lobby and corridor within the cloakroom. An office is positioned at the front, with three partitioned cubicles to the right, and the main area forming an open powder room. Each cubicle contains a porcelain unit stamped "THE 'DELUGE' ADAMANT" with a timber seat fitted to the cubicle width and featuring a central hinged section. Cisterns are supported on cast-iron brackets. Cubicle dividing walls have marble panels and each cubicle has a panelled timber door with upper glazing. Beyond the third cubicle is a small service room with a panelled glazed door. The powder room has a panelled dresser fixed to the non-glazed partition wall opposite the cubicles, fitted with a marble worktop, mirror and bracketed ledge. The rear east external wall features a large timber sash facing a small yard behind Woodland Rise. Three low-level sinks are fixed to the north wall, the central one stamped "TWYFORD'S SURGICAL LAVATORY", with corner sinks to each side. Part of the partition wall rail is curved to accommodate the left-hand unit. Two timber panels for coat hooks are fixed to the wall above the sinks. A rectangular lantern with cast-iron openers illuminates the cloakroom. The panelled partitions have moulded cornices and terminate above floor level. Walls are finished in brick-shaped tiles and floors in black and white encaustic tiles.