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Summary

Description

George Washington Browne, 1898. Large 2-storey on raised basement 2-bay Library with Jacobethan details; coursed stugged cream ashlar with polished dressings; chamfered arrises. SE (CASTLEGATE) ELEVATION: broad right bay advanced and gabled; raised basement blank with pend to Upper Nags Head Close to right; principal floor breached by moulded and fleuron-studded round-headed window on foliate impost bands, with cill course. Upper floor with tall stone mullioned and transomed central window with segmental pediment containing carved town crest and motto; flanking bipartite windows; cill course. Bay chamfered to recessed lower entrance bay to left; moulded round-headed hoodmoulded doorway to internal porch, containing 6 steps, with legend LET THERE BE LIGHT carved above; tripartite window above under overhanging eaves swept down with panelled soffit. Left angle chamfered to recessed adjoining building.

REAR ELEVATION: large 2-storey on raised basement, coursed rubble with ashlar margins, square arrises. Left bays with pend to left and entrance to basement to right; pair of large mullioned and transomed windows to each floor above. Right bays advanced with bipartite to upper floor, projecting rendered and gabled store room at ground (originally continued along Close).

Round-headed window with 6 plate glass casements under dentilled transom; lunette filled by leaded windows with pair of arched screens at centre. Tripartite window to left leaded, windows to upper floor with plate glass casements. Plate glass to rear. Ashlar coped skews; grey slates; coped ashlar stacks. Panelled cast-iron rainwater heads and downpipes. INTERIOR: arcaded leaded clerestory to glazed screens with panelled pilasters and cornices divide reading room from library and stair. Originally top lit range to rear library with reading room to front now unified.

Statement of Special Interest

The Library cost $1,700 and was opened on 24 May 1900. It was built to hold 12,000 volumes, and accommodate 58 readers. Upstairs there was a museum room and committee rooms. Browne was an authority on library design. See also his work at Edinburgh Central Library and Annan Library.

References

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