Details
This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 17/11/2015
SK 5804
718/8/10133
LEICESTER
CHARLES STREET (North East side)
Former Charles Street Police Station
(Formerly listed as Charles Street Police Station)
II
Police station. 1933, by G Noel Hill and AT Gooseman of Leicester City Architects' Department. Additions and alterations, c1970 and later C20, are not of special interest.
Portland stone ashlar and grey brick, with ashlar and concrete dressings and flat asphalt roofs. Palladian style. Rusticated ground floor with plinth and sill band below intermediate cornice. Central range has full entablature with panelled frieze and dentillation; side ranges have cornices and blocking course. Keystone cartouches with the City's cinquefoil badge. Windows are original steel casements with glazing bars, those to the ground floor round arched.
Polygonal layout on corner site, with central range and splayed side ranges each treated as a separate composition. Central range, 3 storeys, 4/2/4 windows. Lower side ranges, 2 storeys plus attics, 5 windows.
Central range has a raised centre with swagged frieze and modillion cornice, topped with a flagpole. In the centre a round arched recess with rusticated head, and cartouche with stylised scroll. Within the recess, a carriage entrance with original wrought iron gates, rusticated surround and keystone. Above, a Diocletian window. Above the recess, a balustraded balcony to a French window with moulded surround and pediment on brackets.
Flanking the central recess, recessed panelled double doors with overlights and above, larger square stair lights, all with decorative grilles.
Side bays have ground floor windows with keystones, first floor windows with raised surrounds on a sill band, and plain second floor windows. At each end, a single setback bay of the side ranges.
Right side range, fronting St George Street, has a central recessed doorway with overlight and grille, flanked by 2 windows. Above, 5 window with projecting sills. Cartouche above the centre window. Attic has 5 blanks. Left return has single windows with keystones, and blank attic. Right return blank, with 3 small square lights under the cornice.
Left side range, fronting Charles Street, has 7 ground floor windows. Above, windows arranged 1/3/1. The central group has a sham balcony on brackets, and a sill band. Attic has 5 blanks. Right return has single windows with keystones, and blank attic. Left return, fronting Church Street, 3 windows, has a central recessed doorway with overlight and grille, flanked by single small flat headed windows. Beyond, single round headed windows. Above, 3 windows with projecting sills, and a cartouche above the centre window. Attic has 3 blanks.
Brick rear elevations are plain. Canted ground floor projection to right. To left, stub wing, 2 storeys, linked to rebuilt cell block.
INTERIOR: Open-well principal staircase has scrolled wrought iron balustrade with ramped hardwood handrail. Plain stairwell with round skylight. Rear staircase has wrought iron stick balustrade and handrail. Chief Constable's office has original fittings including half-height framed panelling, 5-panel doors and cornice. Plain ashlar fireplace with square clock inset in overmantel. Adjoining ante room and toilet in plainer style. Former committee room, and major rooms and corridors on each floor, have slightly moulded cornices. Former mess room has canted ends. Attics contain tank room and former recreation rooms.
Charles Street police station is a distinguished example of civic architecture, and forms a major architectural element in the inter-war replanning of the city, which aimed to divert road traffic away from the historic city centre.
Listing NGR: SK5921304304
