Ashburne House, part of Backhouse Building of the University of Sunderland
Ashburne House, part of Backhouse Buildingof the University of Sunderland, Ryhope Road
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1209651
- Date first listed:
- 10-Nov-1978
- List Entry Name:
- Ashburne House, part of Backhouse Building of the University of Sunderland
- Statutory Address:
- Ashburne House, part of Backhouse Buildingof the University of Sunderland, Ryhope Road
Location
Location of this list entry and nearby places that are also listed. Use our map search to find more listed places.
Use of this mapping is subject to terms and conditions .
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale.
What is the National Heritage List for England?
The National Heritage List for England is a unique register of our country's most significant historic buildings and sites. The places on the list are protected by law and most are not open to the public.
The list includes:
 |
Buildings |
 |
Scheduled monuments |
 |
Parks and gardens |
 |
Battlefields |
 |
Shipwrecks |
Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2006-03-22
- Reference:
- IOE01/14822/01
- Rights:
- © Mr Bob Cottrell. Source: Historic England Archive
Local Heritage Hub
Unlock and explore hidden histories, aerial photography, and listed buildings and places for every county, district, city and major town across England.
Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1209651
- Date first listed:
- 10-Nov-1978
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 17-Oct-1994
- List Entry Name:
- Ashburne House, part of Backhouse Building of the University of Sunderland
- Statutory Address 1:
- Ashburne House, part of Backhouse Buildingof the University of Sunderland, Ryhope Road
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:
- Ashburne House, part of Backhouse Buildingof the University of Sunderland, Ryhope Road
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Sunderland (Metropolitan Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- NZ 39853 55779
Details
SUNDERLAND
NZ3955 RYHOPE ROAD
920-1/16/185 (West side (off))
10/11/78 Ashburne House, part of
Backhouse Building of the University
of Sunderland
GV II
(Formerly Listed as Ashburne House, part of Backhouse Building
of Sunderland Polytechnic)
(Formerly Listed as: RYHOPE ROAD (West side Ashburne House)
House, part of Polytechnic School of Art and Design at time of
listing. c1835. For Edward Backhouse, banker; E extension possibly for
museum in 1869 by GG Hoskins of Darlington. Flemish bond brick
with ashlar basement and dressings; roof not visible.
S elevation to park: 2 storeys and basement, 3:1 windows;
right extension 1 storey and basement, one window; left
set-back wing 2 storeys, 2 windows. 3-bay first build has
basement projecting to form raised loggia with Ionic
colonnade, columns paired except single at centre, with
entablature. Architraves to ground floor full-length casements
flanking central door and side lights with glazing bars, and
first floor sashes with glazing bars, the central window
tripartite. Angle pilasters support eaves gutter cornice and
parapet with pilasters, which continues on extensions. Right
extension in similar style has paired pilasters at right; left
return of 4 closely-set windows and left set-back wing have 4-
or 6-paned sashes in architraves, and inserted central door
with architrave. Public park to S formerly the grounds of this
house.
(Milburn GE and Miller ST: Sunderland River, Town and People:
Sunderland: 1988-: 61, 152; Corfe T: The Buildings of
Sunderland 1814-1914: Newcastle: 1983-: 14; Spotlight: Potts
G: Backhouse Building (article): Sunderland: 7).
Listing NGR: NZ3985355779
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 391563
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Milburn, G E, Miller, S T, Sunderland: River, Town & People, (1988), 152
Corfe, T, The Buildings of Sunderland 1814-1914, (1983)
Potts, G, Spotlight in Spotlight, ()
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 09-Jun-2026 at 02:01:14.
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.