The jewel in the crown
Part of the magic of Lambert’s House Apartments, is the fact that it is almost invisible to the uninitiated. But once you step through the discrete front entrance on Lower Briggate and into the private courtyard, you’re instantly transported to a different world and a different time, with its own hidden architectural gem, a jewel of living history – Lambert’s House.
widely regarded as the oldest triple decker dwelling in Leeds city centre and now Grade II listed
The centrepiece of this unique development is the oldest triple-decker dwelling in Leeds city centre. Built around 400 years ago and considered to be one of the original ‘Little Mansions’ of the city’s, then burgeoning, merchant class, Lambert’s House is a timber framed wonder. In fact, the timbers have recently been dated back to around 1659/60, that is before the great fire of London.
The heritage of these unique homes
Widely regarded as the oldest surviving building in Leeds city centre and now Grade II listed, Lambert’s House is at the heart of Lambert’s House Apartments and the traditional Leeds yard, historically known as Lambert’s Arcade.
Lambert’s House and the yard were originally built by William Lambert and the Lambert family, who were wealthy grocers and tea traders, when Leeds was still a small, riverside village, long before it grew into the influential city it is today.
The name Briggate comes from brycg, the Old English for bridge and gata, the Old Norse for way or street.
Lambert’s House is a little part of Leeds’s history, whose merchant class raised the city from humble beginnings as a relatively insignificant borough, to become the industrial titan of the 18th and 19th centuries. Fast forward to the 21st century and it has become a major hub for everything from finance, law, engineering, media, printing, and publishing, to chemicals, medical technology, and the digital and creative sectors. It all started with Lambert’s House and now a few lucky people get to live there again!
