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Description: Public Baths

Address: Park Road Baths Park Road Halifax West Yorkshire HX1 2TS

Grade: II

Group detail: Park Road (west side)

Full description:
Public baths. 1859. Engineer Geo Wilson Stevens, possibly designed by Paxton and Stokes. Donated by the Crossley family. Coursed stone with ashlar dressings, slate roofs and a single tall ashlar chimney stack. Classical Revival style. Ground floor is articulated with pairs of Doric pilasters which stand on a rusticated base, and support a full entablature. The upper floor is articulated with slightly projecting piers with panels above the pilasters, and above a moulded cornice. The main, east front has 13 bays arranged 7:3:2. The projecting 2 storey 3 window section has 3 round headed windows with moulded eared and shouldered surrounds. Above 3 plain sashes in similar flat headed surrounds. To the left the single storey facade has a doorway in a round headed similar surround with double doors and a plain fanlight, eitherside are single Ionic columns. The 6 bays beyond each have a blind window with a similar flat headed surround. To the right 2 similar bays, the first with an inserted C20 entrance, the other with a similar blind window. At the corner a similar curved and canted bay, and beyond on the north front a similar bay. The projecting north end of the 2 storey pool block beyond has a central bay with single curved side bays, all with similar fenestration, though the central blind opening contains a commemorative marble plaque. The upper floor has no windows, and the centre is decorated with a coat-of-arms inscribed PUBLIC BATHS, AD 1859. The south front has 5 bays arrange 3:2. The 2 bay single storey section to the right has 2 narrow blind windows with similar surrounds, and to the left the 2 storey section has 2 similar very narrow windows and a blocked doorway. The upper floor has no windows. The baths are lit by set back clerestorey windows. This important early example of a public baths was given by the Crossley family to the people of Halifax, like the neighbouring People's Park.