1870 – Free Library, Salford, Lancashire

Architect: Royle & Bennett

0001

Front elevation, longitudinal & transverse section including plan as published in The Building News, December 16th 1870. “ON Monday evening last this building (of which we give an illustration) was opened by the mayor. The site is a rectangular plot of land, on the southerly side of Broughton-road. The style of architecture is Gothic, the front being faced with stock bricks and Darley Dale stone dressings. The lower portion of the front wall comprises an entrance doorway and an arcade formed of sunk panels and piers, with moulded brick reveals, projecting weathered sills, and moulded heads. There is other ornamentation arranged in such harmony of design as to give the front a very pretty appearance. On the ground floor there is an entrance vestibule, and the lending and reference library room is 31ft. long by ‘2Gft. wide, and the news-room 34ft. Sin. long by 34ft. wide in the rear. The height of the room to the top of the wall plate is 18ft., and to the ceiling 33ft. The internal fittings and fixtures are of pitch pine. The library afibrds room for 8,400 volumes, and in the news-room there is accommodation for seventy -five readers. Ample provision has been made for warming and ventilating the building, warrii air being conveyed by means of flues through the patent-heating apparatus supplied by Messrs. Whittaker & Constantino. The cost of tho building, including fittings and fixtures, is £1,308. Mr. Scott, of Oxford-road, has admirably tinted and designed the principal window facing to the road. The contractors were Messrs. Thomas Clay & Sons, of Audenshaw, who have carried on the works under the superintendence of the architects, Messrs. Royle & Bennett, of Princess-street. “