York Historic Environment Record

Building 1 (eastern most building)
Building 1 is marked on the 1891 OS map as ‘Foss Islands Station (Goods & Cattle)’ and presumably the western single storey range of Building 1 served, possibly, as separated waiting rooms, with a central ticket office and the two-storey station master’s house to the east.
A two storey house constructed in Flemish Bond red brick with a pitched slate roof with a tiled ridge, a single chimney stack and plain bargeboards on the gable ends. The north elevation comprised one upper window and lower ground floor window situated next to a doorway opening. The east elevation had central window openings at first and ground floor levels that appear to be latter insertions. The south elevation had two window openings at first floor level and a single window opening at ground floor. Extending off the south elevation were two small single storey contemporary extensions with lean-to roofs, probably former outhouses or toilets with modern tiled roof coverings. The west elevation had an off centre first floor window opening with a contemporary single storey east to west range extending from it.
The single storey, east-west range was also constructed in Flemish Bond red brick and had a pitched roof with a raised western gable end capped with coping stone with modern tiled roof covering. The north elevation had symmetrically placed doorway and window openings to the east and west with a blocked up central bay in stretcher bond. The south elevation had an arrangement of four window openings, three of which were masked by a modern single storey extension and an open-fronted wooden lean-to. The west gable end was plain with a modern narrow outhouse constructed against it. All the original doorway and window openings within Building 1 had segmental brick arches with stone thresholds and sills, and brick ventilations on the north and south elevations. None of the window or door fixtures recorded were original.

The interior had late 20th century wall, floor and ceiling coverings as well as modern furnishing throughout.

Building 2
A three-storey warehouse constructed mostly in a red brick stretcher bond with elements of English garden bond at ground level, with a pitched slate roof and tiled ridge with open verges on the gable ends.
The front, north, elevation displayed a symmetrical arrangement of five bays with five window openings along the second floor and first floor level and a further three window and two doorway openings, one with a porch at ground floor level. The window openings are likely to be original but have been modified during the early to mid 20th century with concrete lintels, tiled sills and metal window frames. The two doorway openings appear to be modification of original window openings. Tie plates were also visible at on the elevation, with two at lower second floor level and two at lower first floor level.
The west gable elevation had single central windows openings on the second and first floor levels, similar to those on the north elevation, and a shop facade with a window and doorway opening at ground floor level.
The east gable end had a blocked up wide opening at second floor level but otherwise was plain.
The southern elevation originally fronted onto an open yard. It had an arrangement of blocked up original window openings, with segmental arches at first and second floor levels, reflecting the positions of the window openings on the north elevation. Two blocked doorway openings were noted at the eastern end of the elevation at second and first floor levels. At first floor level there were three probably former cart openings that had been modified most likely during the early – mid 20th century with concrete lintels and later blocking up. The western most opening had been modified to house a narrow doorway opening into the building. To the side of this was a narrow blocked up window opening with segmental arch and stone sill.
Extending off the south elevation, to the west, was a pitched roof extension with a rear hanger style covering which enclosed the former open space, this was bounded by a high southern boundary wall. Butted up to the southern side of Building 2, to the east, was Building 3.

The interiors of the first and ground floors of Building 2 had late 20th century partitions, wall, floor and ceiling coverings and furnishing throughout with no obvious original architectural features observed.

Building 3
A three storey warehouse constructed in a red brick English garden bond with a pitched slate and tiled ridge with open verge on the south gable end. The northern end of the building was constructed up to Building 2. The east elevation had an arrangement of two and three window openings at second and first floor level respectively. The window openings are likely to be original but have been modified during the early to mid 20th century similar to the north elevation of Building 2 with concrete lintels, tiled sills and metal window frames. At ground floor level were three small window openings with segmental arches and stone sills with wooden framed casements.
The second and first floor levels of the southern gable end were only partly visible but had no openings. The ground floor level was masked by a brick boundary wall. The west elevation originally fronted onto an open yard. At second floor level, to the north, was a blocked window opening with segmental arch next to a blocked doorway with a stone sill. Directly below the doorway on the first floor was a doorway opening with a segmental arch. At ground level there was a central wide opening flanked by two short blocked openings with wooden lintels.

The interior of the first floor of Building 3 had late 20th century partitions, wall, floor and ceiling coverings, and furnishing throughout with no obvious original architectural features observed.
The ground floor level had whitewashed brick walls, concrete floor, and a modern plastered ceiling.


Buildings 1, 2 and 3 appear on the 1891 OS map with structures attached to the rear of Building 2 and a structure along the southern boundary to the rear of Building 1.
Buildings 2 and 3 are at odds with Building 1 in that these are on a slightly different orientation, suggesting two major phases of development. What can be established is that Building 2 is an earlier construction than Building 3, however it is not clear if Building 2 existed before the construction of Building 1 or vice versa. Whichever the scenario all of the buildings were probably onstructed in the later 1870s, prior to the opening on the station.