Thorntons Buildings

THORNTONS BUILDINGS, 44, LANDS LANE

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1255861
Date first listed:
11-Sept-1996
List Entry Name:
Thorntons Buildings
Statutory Address:
THORNTONS BUILDINGS, 44, LANDS LANE
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Location

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Archive image, may not represent current condition of site.
Date:
2003-03-31
Reference:
IOE01/10403/20
Rights:
© Mr Geoffrey R. Handford. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1255861
Date first listed:
11-Sept-1996
List Entry Name:
Thorntons Buildings
Statutory Address 1:
THORNTONS BUILDINGS, 44, LANDS LANE
Statutory Address 2:
THORNTONS BUILDINGS, 55-69, THE HEADROW

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
THORNTONS BUILDINGS, 44, LANDS LANE
Statutory Address:
THORNTONS BUILDINGS, 55-69, THE HEADROW

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:
Leeds (Metropolitan Authority)
Parish:
Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:
SE 30205 33737

Details

LEEDS

SE3033NW THE HEADROW
714-1/76/391 (South side)
Nos.55-69 (Odd)
Thornton's Buildings

GV II

Includes: No.44 Thornton's Buildings LANDS LANE.
Shops and offices. 1873, altered C20. Possibly by George Smith
for Charles Thornton. Red brick, stone dressings, slate roof.
3 storeys, corner site with 9 bays to The Headrow and 4 to
Lands Lane; 1 angled bay and a 2-window bay on left return,
(City Varieties entrance).
The windows grouped 2,1,3,2,2,2,3,1,2 to The Headrow, 3 to
rounded corner and 2,2,1,2, to Lands Lane; round-arched to 1st
floor, segmental to 2nd, attached columns, impost bands, keyed
architraves, pilasters at bay divisions, deep eaves with
raised brick panels, moulded strings, bracketed cornice,
blocking course raised to balustrade over central 3 bays on
The Headrow and over the rounded corner to Lands Lane, each
having a segmental carved panel with scrolls and flowers and
the words: 'ANNO DOMINI 1873' to The Headrow and 'THORNTON'S
BUILDINGS to the Land's Lane corner.
Ground floor: an original entrance, bay 2, has a stone
surround with brackets and cornice; the original glazed
overlight has 'THORNTON'S CHAMBERS' painted in gold; windows
and shop entrances renewed but follow original bay divisions.
INTERIOR: not inspected.
Charles Thornton played a crucial part in the development of
Leeds as a shopping centre, developing this corner and
Thornton's Arcade (qv).
(Heap, A: The Headrow, a pictorial record: Leeds: 1990-: 40).





Listing NGR: SE3021233736

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:
465581
Legacy System:
LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Heap, A, The Headrow a Pictorial history, (1990), 40

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Thorntons Buildings

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 01:15:01.

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

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.

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