Carnegie Library, Runcorn
Encyclopedia
The Carnegie Library is in Egerton Street, Runcorn
, Cheshire
, England. It has been designated as a Grade II listed building and "possesses special architectural and historic interest within a national context". It was built in 1906 to replace an earlier library with a grant from Andrew Carnegie
. Although a larger library has been built adjacent to the new town shopping area, the Carnegie Library continues to serve the population of the older part of the town.
in Runcorn was established in 1882. This was housed in a room in the Town Hall, which was at that time Waterloo House in Waterloo Road. It was opened with great celebration by Sir John Picton
, the chairman of the Liverpool Free Library Committee. The demand was so great that within a year two more rooms were required and a reading room was opened. Three years later two additional rooms were opened and in 1889 a lady's reading room was provided. In 1897 further books and a natural history collection were added to the library and it was further expanded the following year. This was still inadequate for the demands being made upon it and it was decided that the only solution would be an entirely new building. An appeal for a grant towards a new building was made to Andrew Carnegie
, who had provided grants for many other libraries in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Following what seemed at first to have been a refusal, Carnegie gave a grant of £3,000. The new library was built adjacent to Waterloo House. It was designed by James Wilding, surveyor and water engineer to the Runcorn Urban District Council. The library was opened with little ceremony on 1 December 1906 by Mr. D. Bisbrown, chairman of the Council. It remained Runcorn's central library until the development of a new town in Runcorn in the 1960s and 1970s. Then a larger library was opened adjacent to the new shopping centre at Halton Lea
, and the Carnegie Library became a branch library.
The library has a reverse L-shaped plan. The front and side elevations are in red sandstone
, and the rear extension is in brick. The main section, on Egerton Street, has two storeys and the extension is in red brick. The front elevation has four bays
; the left hand bay projects forward and has the form of a tower. Its ground floor has an arched entrance, above which is a series of five lights containing stained glass and the words "Free Library and Reading Room". Above this is a carved stone frieze
bearing the inscription "The Gift of Andrew Carnegie 1906". The upper storey has a six-light mullion
and transom
window containing stained glass with Mackintosh
-style designs. At the summit is a parapet
. In the ground floor of the other three bays are three four-light windows and in the upper floor is one eight-light window. Between them the frieze from the tower is continued and is carved with floral and foliage designs. These bays have a parapet similar to that on the tower. Inside the entrance lobby is a tiled mosaic
floor, and the walls have dados
of green and dark brown glazed tiles. Since it was built, there have been considerable changes to the interior but an ornate cast iron
spiral staircase is still in situ.
Runcorn
Runcorn is an industrial town and cargo port within the borough of Halton in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. In 2009, its population was estimated to be 61,500. The town is on the southern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form Runcorn Gap. Directly to the north...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England. It has been designated as a Grade II listed building and "possesses special architectural and historic interest within a national context". It was built in 1906 to replace an earlier library with a grant from Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
. Although a larger library has been built adjacent to the new town shopping area, the Carnegie Library continues to serve the population of the older part of the town.
History
The first free public libraryPublic library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
in Runcorn was established in 1882. This was housed in a room in the Town Hall, which was at that time Waterloo House in Waterloo Road. It was opened with great celebration by Sir John Picton
James Picton
Sir James Allanson Picton was an English antiquary and architect who played a large part in the public life of Liverpool. He took a particular interest in the establishment of public libraries.-Biography:...
, the chairman of the Liverpool Free Library Committee. The demand was so great that within a year two more rooms were required and a reading room was opened. Three years later two additional rooms were opened and in 1889 a lady's reading room was provided. In 1897 further books and a natural history collection were added to the library and it was further expanded the following year. This was still inadequate for the demands being made upon it and it was decided that the only solution would be an entirely new building. An appeal for a grant towards a new building was made to Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
, who had provided grants for many other libraries in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Following what seemed at first to have been a refusal, Carnegie gave a grant of £3,000. The new library was built adjacent to Waterloo House. It was designed by James Wilding, surveyor and water engineer to the Runcorn Urban District Council. The library was opened with little ceremony on 1 December 1906 by Mr. D. Bisbrown, chairman of the Council. It remained Runcorn's central library until the development of a new town in Runcorn in the 1960s and 1970s. Then a larger library was opened adjacent to the new shopping centre at Halton Lea
Halton Lea
Halton Lea is a medium-sized covered shopping centre located in Runcorn, Cheshire, England. It is the main shopping area in Runcorn. It was the centrepiece of the New Town of Runcorn and was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1972.-History:...
, and the Carnegie Library became a branch library.
Architecture
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, and the rear extension is in brick. The main section, on Egerton Street, has two storeys and the extension is in red brick. The front elevation has four bays
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
; the left hand bay projects forward and has the form of a tower. Its ground floor has an arched entrance, above which is a series of five lights containing stained glass and the words "Free Library and Reading Room". Above this is a carved stone frieze
Frieze
thumb|267px|Frieze of the [[Tower of the Winds]], AthensIn architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Even when neither columns nor pilasters are expressed, on an astylar wall it lies upon...
bearing the inscription "The Gift of Andrew Carnegie 1906". The upper storey has a six-light mullion
Mullion
A mullion is a vertical structural element which divides adjacent window units. The primary purpose of the mullion is as a structural support to an arch or lintel above the window opening. Its secondary purpose may be as a rigid support to the glazing of the window...
and transom
Transom (architectural)
In architecture, a transom is the term given to a transverse beam or bar in a frame, or to the crosspiece separating a door or the like from a window or fanlight above it. Transom is also the customary U.S. word used for a transom light, the window over this crosspiece...
window containing stained glass with Mackintosh
Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Charles Rennie Mackintosh was a Scottish architect, designer, watercolourist and artist. He was a designer in the Arts and Crafts movement and also the main representative of Art Nouveau in the United Kingdom. He had a considerable influence on European design...
-style designs. At the summit is a parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
. In the ground floor of the other three bays are three four-light windows and in the upper floor is one eight-light window. Between them the frieze from the tower is continued and is carved with floral and foliage designs. These bays have a parapet similar to that on the tower. Inside the entrance lobby is a tiled mosaic
Mosaic
Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral...
floor, and the walls have dados
Dado (architecture)
In architectural terminology, the dado, borrowed from Italian meaning die or plinth, is the lower part of a wall, below the dado rail and above the skirting board....
of green and dark brown glazed tiles. Since it was built, there have been considerable changes to the interior but an ornate cast iron
Cast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
spiral staircase is still in situ.