High Apprentice House

High Apprentice House is a house dating to around 1800, with alterations probably made in the mid-19th century. It is constructed of coursed squared gritstone laid in watershot courses, with a graduated stone slate roof. The main block is three storeys and three bays wide, with a two-storey, two-bay addition to the left and an arched gateway far to the left. Doors are set within tie-stone jambs in bays one and two; the doorhead of bay one has been raised, with a round arch inserted, and bay two formerly contained paired doors, with that to the right now blocked. Windows on the ground and first floors are four-pane sashes within sawn-stone surrounds, with round-arched heads to the ground floor only. The second floor has sixteen-pane sashes. A blocked loading door is visible on the first floor, to the left. Shaped gutter brackets and kneelers are present, along with gable copings. Chimneys are located at the ends of the building and between bays one and two. The added bays to the left have a rectangular two-pane window to the left and a sixteen-pane fixed window to the right, with a central ridge stack. The rear facade is rendered and lined to resemble ashlar. The main block features a central door with tie-stone jambs, flanked by two-light, flat-faced mullion windows to the ground and first floors, and single lights on the first floor centre and second floor. Similar window arrangements are visible on the lower block to the right, with a second round arch to the right. Internally, there is no access between bays one and two at ground floor level. The remainder of the house has common access, but the rear range of rooms, containing a central staircase, feature mid to late 19th century fireplaces, superior plasterwork, and six-panel doors. The lower bay has a large fireplace with a lintel carried on cyma-moulded stone brackets and a cast-iron range. The house was originally one of two apprentice houses built by Colbeck Ellis and Co, who constructed the West House Flour Mill between 1797 and 1803. It housed children brought from London workhouses and apprenticed to the mill owners. It was likely closed in 1843 when the mill became bankrupt, and the building adapted for cottages, but remained in the ownership of Leeds Corporation and is currently a single property. It is listed partly for its historical significance.