Details
KINGSTON UPON HULL
TA0928NW PARAGON SQUARE
680-1/21/267 (West side)
13/10/52 Paragon Station and Station Hotel
GV II*
Railway station and adjoining hotel. 1846 and 1849. By GT
Andrews. For the North Eastern Railway Co. Train shed, booking
hall, cafe and hotel extensions 1903-05, by William Bell. The
hotel was further extended c1936, and restored 1990-92 after
serious fire damage.
The station is rectangular, approx 100m x 180m. The original
station buildings, running east-west, are on the south side,
parallel to the tracks. On their north side, the platforms and
train shed. The hotel and booking offices are at the east end,
running north-south.
The original buildings are ashlar with slate roofs. Italianate
style, with plinths and modillion main cornices. Windows are
mainly plain sashes with moulded surrounds. Booking office and
train shed, ashlar and yellow brick.
Symmetrical south front has a central block and end pavilions,
all hipped. Central block, 2 storeys, 5 windows, has an
infilled porte-cochere with paired columns. Upper windows with
alternating pediments, divided by paired pilasters. Single
storey links, 10 and 9 bays, have off-centre doorways, the
right with a portico. Left pavilion, 2 storeys, 3 windows.
Right pavilion, raised early C20, 3 storeys, 5 windows, with
central doorway. To its right, a link to the hotel, with 2
round arches.
The hotel, 3 storeys plus attics, has a recessed centre with a
first floor balcony and 5 round-arched windows divided by
columns. Short wings with 2 windows. Beyond, similar mid C20
wings, rendered brick, set back. Mansard roof with attic
windows. Left return the same, partly covered by additions.
Train shed has 5 segment-arched glazed canopies over the
platforms, and 2 set crosswise over the concourse.
Wrought-iron ribs and lattice girders carried on cast-iron
columns. North side has a round-arched arcade, 25 bays, with
glazing and entrances.
INTERIOR: booking hall has elaborate glazed brick and faience
decoration, arcaded round-arched windows, and coved matchboard
roof with skylights. Central wooden ticket office in the same
style. The concourse has a round-arched arcade on the east
side, 20 bays, with windows and entrances. On the concourse, a
freestanding wooden cafe, single-storey, 3x5 windows, with a
wavy coped parapet and Art Nouveau detail. On the north side,
a range of wooden offices, 2 storeys, with glazing bar
windows.
Paragon Station is the only terminus station built by the
North Eastern Railway. Queen Victoria stayed at the hotel in
1854.
(Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Yorkshire East Riding:
London: 1961-: 274; ).
Listing NGR: TA0917728803