Architecture of Leeds
The architecture of Leeds, a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England, encompasses a wide range of architectural styles and notable buildings. As with most northern industrial centres, much of Leeds' prominent architecture is of the Victorian era. However, the City of Leeds also contains buildings from as early as the Middle Ages such as Kirkstall Abbey, one of Britain's best preserved ruined Cistercian monasteries, as well as examples of 20th century industrial architecture, particularly in the districts of Hunslet and Holbeck.
Most of the current buildings in Leeds are the product of the Industrial Revolution and post war regeneration in the 20th century, as many new buildings were provided in the city's commuter towns and villages to house the increasing suburban population. Leeds city centre is currently undergoing much redevelopment, with a number of skyscrapers such as Bridgewater Place and Altus House. Many buildings in Leeds have won awards for their architecture: examples are the renovation projects for the Corn Exchange and the Henry Moore Institute, which have won RIBA awards.
Materials of construction
Before modern times, buildings were usually constructed of local materials, including wood, thatch etc. The Nook in Oulton is a rare example of an original half-timbered house. Of the more durable materials, there are three rocks which have been substantially used. These are gritstone found to the north and west, different sandstones in the Yorkshire Coal Measures, and limestone to the north and east, as is shown in older villages in these directions. To the south of the city are substantial clay deposits, so that red brick has been the predominant building material for the extensive nineteenth century housing. The particularly fine clay found in Burmantofts led to a decorative covering of terracotta or glazed Architectural Faience being used on both interior and exterior walls of important buildings.In the twentieth century, new building methods, particularly concrete and steel were used, and the exterior was essentially facing. Thus materials from further away could be used, such as the Portland stone used on the Leeds Civic Hall, the Parkinson Building of the University of Leeds and the Queens Hotel.
Pre 1600
The earliest evidence of civilisation in the area of Leeds is at Seacroft and dates to 3500 BC. The oldest existent man-made structure in the Leeds metropolitan district is the earthworks of the Iron Age fort at Barwick in Elmet.Leeds is thought to have been the site of the Roman town of Cambodunum, abandoned when the Romans left Britain in around 400 AD. The first church in Leeds is thought to have been built around 600 AD.
Leeds, like many industrial cities, has little remaining medieval architecture. The lack of Medieval architecture in central Leeds may be attributed to the small size of the town during the majority of the period, the population usually being around 1,000. At the time there were several larger settlements in Yorkshire such as Wakefield and York.
The Church of St John the Baptist at Adel is one of the earliest remaining buildings in Leeds. It was built of gritstone with slate roofs between 1150 and 1170. It has been described as "one of the best and most complete Norman village churches in Yorkshire".
Kirkstall Abbey is the most noteworthy piece of architecture from this period in Leeds. The abbey, which is a Cistercian foundation, was begun on the banks of the River Aire in 1152. The abbey was disbanded and the buildings ruined during the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII. Although Cistercian abbeys were numerous in England, many were located in remote areas and, unlike several Benedictine and Augustinian abbeys, did not survive the Dissolution by being reused as parish churches. At Kirkstall Abbey, the ruins are particularly well preserved and show an austere form of Norman architecture with some later Gothic additions and embellishments. The remnants of most of the monastic buildings are sufficiently intact to display the domestic arrangement and function of the monastery. The Abbey House Museum keeps records and displays artefacts from the abbey as well as from other eras across Leeds. Paintings of the Abbey have come from artists as renowned as J. M. W. Turner and Thomas Girtin. In 1889 the abbey was purchased by Colonel John North and presented to Leeds City Council. The council restored parts of the abbey and made it safe for public enjoyment before opening it in 1895.
Although central Leeds has few buildings from the Middle Ages, there are examples within the City of Leeds boundaries, including two at Wetherby. Wetherby Bridge dates from the Medieval period, but has been considerably altered, the pointed Gothic arches of different heights being replaced by semi-circular arches. It is said that the Bishop of York granted absolution of sins to local residents in return for building the bridge.
The building of a castle was commenced in Wetherby in 1140, but it was demolished in 1155, because it was the King had not granted permission for its construction. The remains of its foundations can still be seen, and it is remembered in the street name "Castle Gate".
Harewood Castle is a 14th-century stone hall house and courtyard fortress, in the grounds of Harewood House. It is a Grade I listed and is currently undergoing conservation.
1600 to 1800
By Tudor times, Leeds had become a market town of about 3,000 people, which grew to about 6,000 by the mid-17th century, however successive redevelopments of the city centre in the following centuries have destroyed almost all visible evidence of this period. The earliest building remaining in the city centre is a late 16th- or early 17th-century house in Lambert's Yard, off Briggate. It is a timber-framed building with a gable and three jettied storeys, "possibly the cross-wing of a larger hall house". It is in a state of disrepair and is not generally accessible to the public.The church of St John the Evangelist, New Briggate, is the oldest church in central Leeds, consecrated in 1634. It was founded by John Harrison. It is described as "something of an architectural rarity: a virtually intact 17th century church". In 1865 there were plans to demolish it, but Norman Shaw came to its defence and argued successfully for its restoration. Its interior is unusual in having two naves, and it has a large amount of Jacobean woodwork. It is no longer used for regular services but is in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust and is regularly open for visitors and also used for occasional public events.
A major example of 18th century architecture lies just outside the city in the Grade I listed Harewood House. This was built between 1759 and 1771 and funded from the proceeds of the West Indian Slave Trade.
The architect was John Carr of York, with extensions by Robert Adam who also designed the interiors.
The opening of a trade hall in Wetherby in 1710 brought about further industrial development, most of this was still on a small scale until the 19th century, but Leeds like Manchester began to show growing industrialisation before many other towns and cities across the industrial belts of Yorkshire and Lancashire did, providing Leeds with a few rare examples of industry from before the period that is generally accepted as the beginning of the industrial revolution had begun.
Armley Mills was built in 1788 and is currently the largest woollen mill museum. There are several examples of industrial architecture from the latter part of this era in Holbeck, Hunslet, Armley and areas surrounding Leeds city centre. The Granary Buildings date from the same period.
The main infirmary was originally on Infirmary Street. Designed by John Carr, it was built in 1768–1771 and demolished in 1893 to make way for the Yorkshire Penny Bank.
Holy Trinity Church on Boar Lane was constructed between 1721 and 1727, built to a design by William Etty. It is a Grade I listed building. The building has not changed much, but developments such as the Burton Arcade and the Leeds Shopping Plaza have been built so close that it is difficult to see the full exterior of the building as was once possible.
In 2007 it was reported in the Yorkshire Evening Post that the remains of a 17th-century cottage in Alwoodley had been demolished after controversial approval from Leeds City Council.
Nineteenth century
It was in the 19th century that Leeds began to grow into one of Britain's largest cities. This led to widespread building across the city. Leeds' wool and cloth trades resulted in the building of many industrial buildings during this era. The resulting workforce which migrated to the city from rural areas brought about the building of many houses. Leeds has perhaps the most surviving examples of back-to-back terrace housing in the UK, particularly in Holbeck and Harehills.Headingley Castle, also known for a good deal of the 19th century as The Elms, was designed in about 1841 on land that had been owned by Barbara Marshall. It was built between 1843 and 1846 by the local architect John Child for the corn merchant Thomas England. The estate was originally 22 acres. While the exterior of Headingley Castle is Victorian Gothic in style, the architect employed modern building techniques and materials including cast iron in its construction.
Leeds city centre has many examples from this era, such as Leeds Town Hall, the Leeds Kirkgate Market, the Hotel Metropole, the Leeds City Varieties, the Central Post Office, Calls Landings and the Corn Exchange to name a few.
Leeds Town Hall was designed by Cuthbert Brodrick and was opened by Queen Victoria in 1858.
The Hotel Metropole was built in the 1890s and was inspired by French architecture of the time. The Leeds Corn Exchange was also designed by Cuthbert Brodrick and was built between 1861 and 1864. The building lay derelict for many years until 1985 when it was converted into a shopping centre.
Harehills, Burley, Holbeck, Chapeltown, Woodhouse and East End Park contain many houses from this era, while Cross Gates has a column guided gasholder from this era.
The 19th century saw the construction of most of Leeds' railway infrastructure, including architecturally notable viaducts in Holbeck and Leeds city centre. None of the major railway stations from this era have survived, in fact most of Leeds railway station was rebuilt as recently as 2002.
As well as industrial architecture Hunslet has a history for some notable churches. The main steeple on Church Lane was once part of a large church. All but the steeple were demolished in the 1970s and a smaller church building attached. Meadow Lane in Hunslet was also home to Christ Church, an architecturally notable Gothic church, which has since been demolished.
Leeds Parish Church was constructed in 1841 and at tall it held the record as Leeds' tallest building until the building of the town hall in 1858.