St. Peter's Presbytery, 172 Kells Lane

This stately and substantial presbytery bears comparison with Ford House (St Wilfrid’s Presbytery), which is also Locally Listed, in terms of proportions and the use of snecked stonework and solid window and door surrounds. It departs from this building, however, in terms of roof form, which here utilises the multiple gables, with improbably delicate finials keying bargeboards which is seen more commonly in the Derwent Crook area. Timber sashes of various ages grace the window openings, and extremely substantial quoins create neat, robust corners. The detail is concentrated on the front elevation, with the sides remaining plan and unornamented, and the crowning slate roof, with solid but slender stone chimneys completes the picture. The initialled shield (featuring ‘JF’) and datestone add interest to the façade, as does the simple semi-circular arched moulded detail housing a coloured illustration above the door. The simple gate piers are yet attractive, and the garden offers an important setting to the building. Overall a pleasing composition, very characteristic of the simple, immovable character native to this area, which was so proximal to the sandstone quarries from which their walls were hewn. MATERIALS Sandstone DATES 1875 LOCAL LIST