Pearl Buildings Pearl Chambers
159, THE HEADROW
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1375361
- Date first listed:
- 22-Mar-1974
- List Entry Name:
- Pearl Buildings Pearl Chambers
- Statutory Address:
- 159, THE HEADROW
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2001-09-04
- Reference:
- IOE01/05020/02
- Rights:
- © Mr Keith Brightwell. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1375361
- Date first listed:
- 22-Mar-1974
- List Entry Name:
- Pearl Buildings Pearl Chambers
- Statutory Address 1:
- 159, THE HEADROW
- Statutory Address 2:
- PEARL BUILDINGS, 8, SOUTH PARADE
- Statutory Address 3:
- PEARL CHAMBERS, EAST PARADE
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:
- 159, THE HEADROW
- Statutory Address:
- PEARL BUILDINGS, 8, SOUTH PARADE
- Statutory Address:
- PEARL CHAMBERS, EAST PARADE
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 29808 33767
Details
LEEDS
SE2933NE EAST PARADE
714-1/75/163 (East side)
22/03/74 Pearl Chambers
GV II
Includes: No.8 Pearl Buildings SOUTH PARADE.
Includes: No.159 THE HEADROW.
Premises of the Pearl Assurance Company Limited. 1911. By
William Bakewell. In Free Gothic Revival style. Polished
granite ground floor of banded rustication, Portland stone,
ashlar above, slate roof with 5 narrow stone multiflue stacks
and an octagonal ventilation turret with dome, centre.
Corner site with The Headrow on left return and South Parade
on right; 4 storeys and attic, 5 bays with 3:2:1:2:3 windows
to front and 3 bays to right return, 3 bays and 3 storeys with
2 attic storeys to left return. Panelled doors and overlight
in elliptical arch to centre of each facade: keyblock and
consoles supporting pediment over spandrels and carved panel;
ground-floor windows in round-arched openings with keyblocks,
voussoirs and squat Ionic half columns.
East Parade, upper floors: central and end windows project
slightly; end bays have banded pilasters and corbelled
octagonal pinnacles; central and end bays have slightly
advanced bay windows and balustered balconies on consoles
rising through 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors to high stepped and
panelled gables with finials; pierced parapet and modillion
cornice.
Right return similar; the left return has the cornice and
balustrade above 2nd floor, central stone plinth with
inscription: 'PATRICK JAMES FOLEY/ PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER OF
THE/ PEARL LIFE ASSURANCE CO LIMTD/ EX MP FOR WEST GALWAY'
surmounted by a statue; at each end a tall panelled plinth
with statue of a seated griffin; 5 flat- and 5 hipped-roofed
dormer windows behind. A band at 1st-floor sill level has the
name of the offices on each facade: 'PEARL ASSURANCE COMPANY
LIMITED' (left return), '1864 PEARL CHAMBERS 1911' (main
front) and 'PEARL BUILDINGS' (right return).
INTERIOR: not inspected.
The building line and details continue through to the
Athenaeum building on The Headrow, by the same architect (qv).
This building was the first to use Portland stone.
Listing NGR: SE2980833767
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 466257
- 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 17-Jun-2026 at 03:13:57.
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.