Sunderland Road, police station

Now premises of Gateshead Youth Offending Team. This prepossessing red brick building is a grand example of a former police station. It exhibits not only all the eloquence of its original architecture, but also many internal features of special interest, including the small, narrow cells which clearly express its historic function. The original 4 over 1 timber sashes still grace the openings, which are gently arched at ground floor level, and dressed in sandstone with sills and decorative lintels. The string courses linking these emphasise the horizontality of the composition, whilst the principal elevation is appealingly lively (in curious contrast to its function), animated as it is by shaped and coped gables, oculus windows, chequerboard jamb stones to the 1st floor and elaborately moulded door canopies. The steep slate roof crowns the whole, finished with chimneys harmonious is proportions and detailing. The architectural similarity with the former River Police Station at Pipewellgate, also on the Local List, is striking MATERIALS Red brick, sandstone, slate DATES c1910 LOCAL LIST