Hawksley House, apartment building in Sunderland, England
Hawksley House is a three-story building with a basement made of red Penrith sandstone and Lakeland slate roof. The neoclassical facade features projecting corner bays, Ionic porches, round-headed ground-floor windows with keystones, and a dentilled cornice, while the interior contains a grand staircase with a glazed dome and a richly decorated former boardroom with Ionic columns and stucco panels.
The building was completed in 1907 as offices for the Sunderland and South Shields Water Company, designed by local architects William and Thomas Milburn. The Hawksley family, prominent civil engineers, shaped water supply development in the region, and the building took their name while serving as the company headquarters for decades.
Hawksley House stands in the heart of Sunniside, a historic district closely tied to Sunderland's industrial past. The building symbolizes civic pride and engineering achievement from the Edwardian era, reflecting how important water technology was to the city's identity and growth.
The building sits on a corner in the city center near the railway station and is easily accessible on foot. The surrounding area provides access to other historic sites, museums, shops, and cafes, allowing visitors to experience a complete urban environment.
The stunning staircase with its glazed dome allowing natural light to flood the entrance area is a rare example of early 20th-century interior design. This architectural solution created an open, bright space that gave the building a distinctive elegance at the time.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
