Mark’s History: Denison Hall – the ‘grandest’ house in West Leeds?

The information for this blue plaque must have been written by an estate agent, writes Mark Stevenson.

To say that this 233-year-old building in Hanover Square is in central Leeds is stretching it a bit, I think.

The land the house is built on cost £8,500 when John Denison (John Wilkinson assumed the surname Denison by Royal Licence in 1795) bought it.

He only lived at Denison Hall for a short time as, on his marriage in 1787, he moved out.

Various other people, one of them being William Gott in 1851 – son of Benjamin (like the estate agent, I am stretching the West Leeds connection a bit) – lived at Denison Hall over the years.

But what I find the most interesting is that it was a maternity home during and after World War Two. 

I bet there aren’t many people in Leeds who can claim to be born in such a grand old house.

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