# Former York Road Library and baths



## communist daughter (Jun 12, 2006)

We had a party to go to on saturday that was right next to the old baths i used to admire. We got a group of party-goers together who wanted to join us for a possible explore and forewarned them that if there wasnt an easy way to walk straight in we would have to leave it because its a listed building and id heard that it was quite nice inside. When we got there a nice druggie had broken in for us and made a ramp out of the gorgeous art nouveau doors so all 6 of us could climb in easily. A little pile of drug paraphenalia greeted us as we stepped down, luckily we'd brought many torches as it was around 1.30 am and slightly dark, there were no needles to be seen downstairs though and only one in the whole building. 

The ground floor contains a large array of interesting things, every wall is covered in amazing tiles and the front entrance greets you with a beautiful intact stained glasss panel and marble cornicing. The spiral staircase takes you up to the mezzanine parade and several rooms containing beautiful screen printed wall paper and orginal ranges and fireplaces. the main staircase at the rear of the building takes you up to the top floor (the door said 'binding room' and i didnt dare walk on the floor there because there was sitting water and a few holes here and there. 

The baths part had been demolished which we didnt know untill after. If you are planning on visiting this site id advise you do it soon as im going to report a burst water pipe i happened upon in the basement and they will probably reboard the place up. 

theres a nice bit of history here...
http://www.glass-artist.co.uk/famtree/ld/ldswimming.html

the tiles were a very vivid green and had your typical swirly 'iris' type nouveau pattern on the border ones. Absolutely stunning. The stained glass was most beautiful though, a heart shape with a bright yellow sun streaming out from behind grey and blue clouds. ive never seen one like it. And right in front of the glass was a mosaic tile floor of the leeds owl...ferg is busy uploading photos now i beleive although i took them this time! I must apologise in advance for the haphazard approach to photography, i was shaking most of the time i was there because our friend went back outside round the front while i was still inside taking pictures and banged on the security door really really loudly as a practical joke and i nearly died of shock...

heres the link to the pictures http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/







the stained glass panel...






view from the mezzanine level...






some of the examples of doors....






the tiles


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