Lion Buildings
Lion Buildings, John William Street
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1134167
- Date first listed:
- 29-Sept-1978
- List Entry Name:
- Lion Buildings
- Statutory Address:
- Lion Buildings, John William Street
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2001-10-11
- Reference:
- IOE01/05460/04
- Rights:
- © Mr John Turner. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1134167
- Date first listed:
- 29-Sept-1978
- List Entry Name:
- Lion Buildings
- Statutory Address 1:
- Lion Buildings, John William Street
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- Lion Buildings, John William Street
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Kirklees (Metropolitan Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- SE 14473 16884
Details
This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 27 February 2023 to correct a typo in the description and to reformat the text to current standards
SE 1416 NW
1/65
JOHN WILLIAM STREET (East Side)
Lion Buildings
GV
II*
1853. Architect J P Pritchett. Ashlar sandstone. Hipped slate roof. Three storeys. Composed with rounded and pavilions, central pavilion breaking forward and a central frontispiece. This has coupled columns on each floor (attached Tuscan on ground floor, detached composite above), taking pediment and parapet with entablature, paired pilasters, and giant free-standing coade stone statue of lion by Seeley.
The corners of each pavilion are marked on first floor by paired attached composite columns (outer ones square), as is the central pavilion alone on the second floor also. The first floor also has paired attached composite columns in middle of wall between each pavilion, and two single columns spaced regularly round curve of end pavilions.
On St Peter's Street elevation there are three pairs of Tuscan pilasters, one at corner with Wood Street and two others flanking central group of windows. Ground floor has modern shopfronts separated by rusticated and vermiculated pilasters, arched central doorway with moulded voussoirs and imposts, and keystone with dragon and crown inscribed. Dentilled cornice.
On Northumberland Street elevation a mezzanine is inserted below ground floor cornice, consisting of sashes framed by Tuscan pilasters according to the following rhythm: major pilaster-three-major pilaster-one-minor pilaster-one-minor pilaster-one-major pilaster-three-major pilaster. First foor has full entablature which breaks forward and is dentilled over each pair of columns, and the windows of the frontispiece are provided with a stone balcony on paired scrolled consoles.
Windows are round-arched sashes with moulded voussoirs, and are separated by Ionic colonnettes: they are grouped in the following rhythm, Northumberland Street elevation: 1-1-1-2 (crowned by pediment) -1-1-1. End pavilion: 2-3-2. St George's Square elevation: 4-4. Central pavilion: 4-3 (central one slightly wider and higher) -4. St George's Square elevation (cont): 4-4. End pavilion: 2-3-2. St Peter's elevation: 2-1-2-1-2. 2nd floor has modillioned entablature, save at end pavilions where modillions become consoles. Fenestration is same as 1st floor, save on St George's Square elevation where grouping is as follows: 2-1-2-2-1-2-2-1-2.
Some semblance of order is given to this otherwise chaotic design, but only above the eaves cornice. Here the end pavilions have a solid parapet with cornice (inscribed "Lion Arcade" in relief), piers with ornamental caps and huge flanking ornamental scrolls, while central pavilion has balustrade with moulded rail, pairs of square Tuscan columns with ornamental caps at ends, and square Ionic balusters. Over the frontispiece comes the parapet with "1853" in relief and the lion on top.
Listing NGR: SE1447316884
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 340013
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 06-Jul-2026 at 11:40:47.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.