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Description: Canal warehouse and integral house at Elland Wharf approximately 100 metres to east of Elland Bridge

Address: The Wharfe House And Warehouse Gas Works Lane Elland Calderdale HX5 9HJ

Grade: II

Group detail: Calder & Hebble Navigation

Full description:
Canal warehouse and integral house. c1820 wing and house, extended after 1837 (Goodchild). Hammer-dressed stone, ashlar-dressings, stone slate roof. L-shaped with 3-bay gabled wing attached to left of 5-bay main range which contains wet-dock. 2 storeys with attic to wing. North-west elevation fronts canal. Wing, to left, has plinth; central taking-in door with monolithic jambs flanked by square window with same above, those to 1st floor retain small-pane glazing; attic has smaller taking-in door partly obscured by board/sign with cat-head above set in apex. Ridge stack. Set back, main range: symmetrical, has to both floors basket-arched opening (that to ground floor blocked) flanked by 2 bays of windows with projecting sills and wedge-shaped lintels. Rear: main range similarly fenestrated as front (both openings unblocked), that to 1st floor has metal cathead with side braces. To right end, and set back, house forming the rear of the warehouse wing: 2 storeys and attic, three 1st floor windows; central doorway with fanlight has window above with stone surrounds; to left segmental bay has 3-light window with single light above; lunette to coped gable; to right break in stonework indicating added bay with single light window to each floor. Right-hand return of main-range, has large opening having basket-arch with voussoirs and skew backs that to left forming a quoin; to right 2 small windows, one altered to doorway, with 2 to 1st floor all with wedge-shaped lintels; coped gable with kneelers and apex stone. Interior: main-range, the northern half of the groundfloor is occupied with a wet-dock U-shaped to the east end with a dry landing for unloading, occupying the southern half. 5-bay roof with fish-bone king-post roof with additional bracing to support 3 purlins to each roofpitch. Wing has queen-post roof with additional bracing similarly supporting 3 purlins. The house was originally occupied by the resident foreman and yard master. That a warehouse existed before 1822 is evidenced by an extract taken from the Calder and Hebble's minute book:- 'Elland. 1822. Mr Savile land to be bought for the enlargement of the warehouse'. A resolution was passed in 1824 that the warehouse was 'to be enlarged' but was deferred. In 1834 a 'shed' was to 'be erected for shoddy' and 'the new shed is to be flagged'. In 1836 the warehouse was to be enlarged and another order was made for its enlargement in 1837. It would seem likely that the wet-dock warehouse then post-dates 1837. Index to the extracts from the minute books of the Calder and Hebble Navigation Company 1758-1868. (1870). Wakefield Metropolitan District Library Headquarters, John Goodchild Loan MSS - William Aldam MSS. Mentioned in J Goodchild, Broad Silver (forthcoming publication by Wakefield Historical Publications).