A planning document on the oxford.gov.uk website describes the William Dunn Pathology School building as, "... a distinctively handsome but unlisted 1920s red brick building facing directly to South Parks Road.  It displays characteristic piano noble features to its southern and western elevations."  Pevsner describes its style as William & Mary. 

It was built to house the School of Pathology and funded by £100,000 from the Trustees set up in the will of Sir William Dunn, who died in 1912.  Dunn was a London banker, merchant and philanthropist and served as the Liberal Member of Parliament for Paisley.  He had no natural heirs and left his fortune to charity. His will prescribed that his inheritance, "... had to be made available for the advancement of Christianity and the benefit of children and young people, for the support of hospitals, as well as 'to alleviate human suffering, and to encourage education and promote emigration'".