Details
SE23NE
714-1/6/972
LEEDS
Meanwood
PARKSIDE ROAD (North side (off))
Meanwood Park Hospital
(Formerly Listed as: PARKSIDE HALL, Meanwood Meanwood Hall (Meanwood Park Hospital))
02/02/76
II
Large house, now hospital. c1762. For Thomas Denison. North wing added 1814 for Joseph Lees, school master; c1830 the main square block refaced, bay windows, coping, by John Clark for Christopher Beckett, banker. Ashlar, rusticated to ground floor, slate roof, coursed squared gritstone to rear wing. Italianate style.
Two storeys, 2:1:2 windows, centre projects. Central porch with fluted Ionic columns supporting entablature with balustrade forming balcony to first floor centre tripartite window which has pediment on console brackets. Flanking windows, sashes with glazing bars, keyed wedge lintels to ground floor, architraves with stone balustrade and bracketed cornice to first floor. Deep bracketed eaves, plain balustered parapet, moulded coping; large dentilled stack centre.
Left return: the main block has two-storey semicircular bays with first floor stone balustrade and eaves detailing as front; the lower wing to left, probably the 1814 work, of coursed squared gritstone, has sashes with glazing bars in plain stone surrounds, two banded stacks.
Right return: main block has one round and one square projecting bay, extension right in ashlar: one bay with sash window and margin lights to ground floor, sash in architrave and parapet above, extended right with five first floor windows as a lower service wing, door with overlight left, canted bay window, stone gutter brackets, square ridge stack.
INTERIOR: outer entrance hall with plaster coffered ceiling, doorways left and right with acanthus mouldings and entablature, panelled doors; fluted Ionic columns in antis, inner hall with cantilevered divided stair, acanthus design in cast-iron balustrade, ramped mahogany handrail. Coffered ceiling above with clerestory, console bracketed frieze with scrolls. Ground floor, left: patterned marble round-arched fireplace, panelled reveals to false double doors and windows, acanthus frieze and egg-and-dart moulding. Ground floor, right: large room sub-divided, a fine white marble fireplace in Baroque style with large console brackets supporting deep mantel-shelf.
Robert Denison sold the house to the banker Christopher Beckett in 1824 and it was occupied by the family until the death of Christopher's sister, Elizabeth Beckett in 1864. It was occupied by tenants, unoccupied from 1872-75, until in 1919 the house was eased by Leeds Corporation as a mental hospital; in 1921 the estate was purchased from Sir Hickman Beckett Bacon of Thonock, Gainsborough.
Listing NGR: SE2859238142
