Holywell Junction Railway Station

Cadw's description

Location

Situated at the far end of the road on the SW side of the coastal railway.

History

The Chester to Holywell railway was proposed to improve links between London and Dublin. The bill was passed in July 1844 with Robert Stephenson as engineer and Francis Thompson of Derby as architect. Holywell is one of the original 14 stations and the best remaining Italianate example on the line. Opened in 1848; the builder was Thomas Hughes of Liverpool. It originally had 4 platforms and had extensive traffic from the harbour and local industries in addition to connecting with the branch line up to the town; it was renamed Holywell Junction after the opening of the town station in 1912(closed 1955).

Exterior

Red brick construction with almost flat, ribbed slate roof and brick chimney stacks. Symmetrical design with short single storey wings and connecting pavilions to either end; cornice and deep entablature with band linking large rose bosses. 12-pane sashes to 1st floor with lintel and sill bands; high cornices and moulded architraves; blind recesses flank the central windows. Formerly a canopy below contained by the end pavilions. Ground floor has full height round arched openings set in square headed frames and with impost band. Small-pane sashes flank central half-glazed double doors with blind tympanum and enriched spandrels; blind panels to either side. Blocked doorways in wings. Taller pavilions with slit ventilators, sills, cornices and round arched openings; one sash with missing glazing. 12-pane sashes to end elevations and attached flat roof ranges with similar detail; round arched sash glazing retained to right (NW) end. At the rear (SW) are 3 round arched ground floor windows with sills and panelled aprons at plinth level. Panelled doors and deep cornices internally.

Disused and in poor condition at the time of inspection (March 1990).

Reason for designation

Graded II* as one of the finest surviving mid C19 railway stations in Wales.