Moorfield House, Headingley

The house was built between 1855/56 by William Glover Joy, seed crusher and oil merchant, on land which earlier had belonged to the Earl of Cardigan's estate. Joy had entered his father's business ten years earlier to join a business which was the result of research work pioneered by his grandfather into the production of oil from seeds. The growth of the business was related most strongly to the development of the locomotive age and the local railway network. In 1868 Joy became Mayor of Leeds. At this time, the house was set in about 10 acre of grounds. In 1877 the Joy family moved to Hull and Moorfield House was bought by Samuel Smith, tanner and currier of Meanwood. In the 1880s the Joy…

The house is in Gothic style, built of gritstone and ashlar with slate roofs. It has a three-storey octagonal tower with octagonal corner turrets. The east-facing front facade has a central porch with elaborate carvings including crouching dogs and carved human heads, surmounted by a spire. The interior includes an octagonal chapel and panelled rooms.