St. Nicholas Street, General Post Office

St. Nicholas Street, General Post Office

HER Number
9121
District
Newcastle
Site Name
St. Nicholas Street, General Post Office
Place
Newcastle
Map Sheet
NZ26SW
Class
Communications
Site Type: Broad
Postal System Structure
Site Type: Specific
Post Office
General Period
POST MEDIEVAL
Specific Period
Victorian 1837 to 1901
Form of Evidence
Extant Building
Description
This building was listed Grade II in 1971 with the following description:
'Former post office. 1871-74 by James Williams. Sandstone ashlar; roof not visible. Classical style.
Four storeys, three bays. Two superimposed Giant Orders: Roman Doric on two lower floors and Corinthian above. Fluted ground-floor band. Central porch in antis contains recessed double door and overlight, flanked by narrow windows; tripartite sash window above. Sashes in outer bays flanked by pilasters. First floor entablature has triglyph and guttae frieze. Sash windows in architraves, those on second floor with apron balustrades and bracketed pediments, the central segmental on Ionic pilasters. Third floor patterned sill band. Rusticated quoins and top entablature with central panel: POST OFFICE in low relief. Wide dentilled eaves cornice. One bay set back at right in plainer style. Stone area balustrade with chamfered moulded coping.'
McCombie (2009) describes the building as 'a splendid tall composition' and dates it to 1873-6. Converted 1998-2001 by the Alan J. Smith Partnership, later Red Box Design Group, to architect's office, art gallery and flats, extending through to Westgate Road into the 1890s extension to the rear. LISTED GRADE 2
Easting
424920
Northing
563960
Grid Reference
NZ424920563960
Sources
Department of National Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural and Historic Interest, 23/489; Grace McCombie, 2009, Newcastle and Gateshead - Pevsner Architectural Guide, p. 20 and 117; https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1323754