Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB26/34/002

Address :
Carnegie Library 298-300 Shankill Road Belfast County Antrim BT13 2BN

Townland:
Town Parks

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Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
06/08/1990 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Library

Former Use
Library

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
130-13NW

IG Ref:
J3220 7481

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Owner Category

Exterior Description And Setting

Free-standing corner-fronted two-storey-over-basement Carnegie Library, dated 1927/28, restored in 2011. Built to designs by architect Thomas W. Henry. L-plan facing north and east with main entrance on angled north-east corner, internal angle infilled by a lower double-height block containing lending library. Abutted at west by double-height building, vacant site at south. Located on a prominent corner site on the south side of Shankill Road, Belfast. Hipped natural slate roof (over L-plan) with blue/black ridge tiles, lead-valleys, four large roof lights on east and west slopes of north-south aligned roof pitch; two copper cusped and vented roof lanterns with finial (one on each wing), Portland limestone parapet with frieze and cornice, square cast-iron rainwater goods with decorative cast-iron hoppers dated 1927. Lower double-height block to south west internal angle has flat roof with former roof lights now enclosed by new bitumen roof covering. Flemish bonded red brick walling with Portland limestone cyma recta moulded plinth course, projecting splayed sills and plain window heads (unless otherwise stated). Windows are square-headed multi-pane metal casements with brick reveals (unless otherwise stated). Principal north-east corner elevation comprises cyrto-style Doric portico offset from a limestone façade (finishing below first floor windows), two Doric columns with pilaster responds support a frieze with brass lettering which reads; ‘PUBLIC LIBRARY’; cornice with cyma recta moulding, modillions and coffers with circular insets. Stone stepped dome roof over. Portico entrance accessed by three semi-circular plan bull-nosed granite steps (indents carried out during 2011 restoration). Two modern stainless steel railings at either side of central access between columns. Original curved painted cast-iron railings and gate enclose portico to all sides. Double leaf six-panelled raised-and-fielded timber entrance doors with brass ironmongery contained within deep reveal with ornately carved stone architrave. Portico surmounted by one window, (comprising paired 9-light casements surmounted by paired 6-light windows each divided by limestone mullion and transom). Decorative low-pitched raking acroter with Belfast coat of arms relief surmounts entablature. East elevation is seven bays wide, four equally spaced bays at centre are divided by projecting brick pilasters and contain windows at ground floor (lighting main library space), first floor is blank with continuous sill course. Left and right bays contain transom and mullioned multi-light window at each floor. At right, a raised-and-fielded timber panelled door gives accesses to the basement, paired 2/2 windows at right beneath shared lintel. A large double-height multi-paned stained glass leaded window containing the Belfast coat of arms surmounts basement door. Left of basement door a series of replacement uPVC windows are contained within the limestone plinth, right of door are three square headed openings containing timber louvers; all with replacement cast-metal vertical bars. South elevation is abutted at centre by straight chimneystack. Walls are devoid of detailing, smooth rendered at ground floor, exposed brick at first floor. Basement access at right of central chimney stack; at left of chimney stack at first floor a fire escape stair accesses a galvanised steel dog-leg fire escape stair added c.2011. Lower double-height block at left is smooth rendered. West elevation is abutted at left by east-west aligned two-storey-over-basement block and abutted at right by double-height block (containing library space). Exposed section at first floor is three windows wide. West elevation of east-west aligned block is abutted by lower double-height building of no interest, exposed section is blank with limestone parapet and classical entablature continued approximately two metres across elevation to were former adjoining building appears to have been removed. North elevation contains four windows at each floor (no basement windows) outer windows at each floor diminished in width. Disabled access door installed in 2011 below window at right. Setting: Set on a prominent corner city centre site to the south side of the Shankill Road, Belfast. Enclosed at south by small vacant site and at west by vacant two-storey commercial buildings. Roof Natural Slate RWG Square cast-iron downpipes and hoppers Walling Flemish bonded red brick/Portland limestone detailing Windows Square-headed metal casements

Architects

Henry, T W

Historical Information

The Shankill Road Carnegie Library was commissioned by the Belfast Corporation and built between 1926-28 on a previously developed site. The library is first captioned on the fourth edition OS map (1931). The Belfast Street Directory first lists a ‘Free Library’ at 298-300 Shankill Road, in 1927 with the ‘Librarian W. Moore’ noted in the 1930 edition. Early OS maps (first and second ed.) indicate that there has been a long history of building/s inhabiting this site. Annual Revisions (1916-30) list an ‘Irish Billposting Advertising (boys?) station’ was situated (at 296-302 Shankill Road) from at least 1916-21, after which the site remained vacant until construction of the library. The library design was built to competition designs by Belfast born Architect T.W Henry, president of the RSUA in 1920-21 and was elder brother of Paul Henry, the well-known Irish artist (www.dia.ie). The competition was judged by J.C Wyness, the Edinburgh architect who had designed the Ulster Museum (Larmour). The building work was undertaken by Thornbury Bros Ltd of Belfast, from 1926 and was completed on 11th September 1928 at a cost of £15,000 (Library Leaflet). It was opened for the public on 9th November 1928 by Sir William George Turner, the Lord Mayor of Belfast and a member of The Libraries, Museums and Art Committee of the Belfast Corporation. The Chief Librarian is noted as J.B Goldsbrough (Library Plaque). The first General Revaluation (1935) values the library at £352 with the 'lessor' named as Mr. Lawrence Higgins. A grand stained glass window on the Mountjoy Street elevation comprises Belfast coat of arms along with the Psalm 116 v12 “what return shall we make for so much” inscribed in Latin. This was installed at the end of construction in order to allow the large opening to be used to load the heavy fittings into the library (Library Booklet). Larmour (1987) describes the red brick building as ‘very restrained with no extravagance in taste or cost; just a little curved Doric portico to add dignity to a public building.’ The first floor was designed for use as a museum gallery with bespoke lighting suitable for accommodating artefacts (McCausland). These included; part of the Patterson collection, drums of the 9th Royal Irish Rifles who fought in the Somme in 1914, ‘the mummy’, along with various household artefacts, prints, paintings and stuffed animals. These have since been relocated to the Ulster Museum (Library Booklet). The library is not included in the gazetteer of Carnegie Libraries in Ireland, written by Brendan Grimes; the period of construction is also later than the philanthropic work carried out by Andrew Carnegie, spending some £170,000 on the building of 80 libraries in Ireland between 1897 and 1913. Andrew Carnegie spent his early life in Scotland but when his family’s income from hand loom weaving began to fall with the introduction of mechanisation, they emigrated to America. As a boy in Pittsburgh, Carnegie benefited from a library opened by a local philanthropist and was convinced that ‘there was no use to which money could be applied so productive of good to boys and girls’ as the founding of public libraries. Later in life, Carnegie became extremely wealthy, firstly manufacturing railways and locomotives and later extending his interests into steel production. In 1881 he made his first gift of a public library to his home town of Dunfermline and in 1901 having sold his company he donated over $5 million to New York City for the construction of 65 branch libraries. In all he financed around 2,500 libraries in 10 countries, the large majority of these in the US, Canada, Great Britain and Ireland. Carnegie made some donations for other purposes, such as education, research and welfare but in Ireland he insisted that the provision he made was solely for libraries, although he did provide church organs. Eight of the surviving 62 Carnegie libraries are in Northern Ireland (Downpatrick has not survived). (Grimes) Three Carnegie Libraries were built in Belfast (Falls Road, 1908; Donegall Road, 1909; and Oldpark Road, 1906 (Grimes), and stylistically the building has elements in common with these earlier libraries; it seems reasonably certain that Shankill Road Library was not a Carnegie library, but no evidence has been uncovered to explain the use of the name. Carnegie was made an “Honorary Burgess” of Belfast City in 1910 (Owen). In 2006 the interior underwent a substantial refurbishment at a cost of £60,000 and the building continues to function as a library (Library Leaflet). References Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/1/60/1 First Edition Os Map (1832-33) 2. PRONI OS/6/1/60/2 Second Edition OS Map (1857) 3. PRONI OS/6/1/60/3 Third Edition OS Map (1901) 4. PRONI OS/6/1/60/4 Fourth Edition OS Map (1920-31) 5. PRONI OS/6/1/60/5 Fifth Edition OS Map (1920-38) 6. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/E/10 Annual Revisions (1882-1896) 7. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/Q/4 Annual Revisions (1916-30) 8. PRONI VAL/3/B/3/23 1st General Revaluation (1935) 9. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/56 2nd General Revaluation (1956-72) 10. The Ulster Street Directories 1887-1935 Secondary Sources 1. (n.a) “Information Leaflet from Carnegie Library” (n.d) 2. Larmour, P “Belfast, An Illustrated Architectural Guide” (1987) 3. Owen, D.J “History of Belfast” W&G Baird Ltd, Belfast, (1921) 4. Grimes, Brendan “Irish Carnegie Libraries: A Catalogue and Architectural History” Irish Academic Press, (1998) 5. www.dia.ie - Dictionary of Irish Architects online 6. McCausland, M “Sculpture for Shankill Road Library?” (Feb 2011) http://theministerspen.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/sculpture-for-shankill-road-library.html 7. “The Public Libraries Act” http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Llibrary.htm

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form H-. Alterations detracting from building I. Quality and survival of Interior

Historic Interest

X. Local Interest V. Authorship

Evaluation

A free-standing corner-fronted two-storey-over-basement library, dated 1927/28, built to designs by W. Henry. The entrance facade including cyrto-style Doric portico is a notable feature on this corner site. Renovated in 2011 the plan form remains largely intact and much historic fabric survives. Although there have been some alterations to the interior, overall detailing remains largely intact, including stone open-well staircase with cast-iron balusters and original stained glass window dated 1928. Despite some loss of original character during renovations it is a good example of the type by a local architect of note and unusual in style for Carnegie Library, having been built later and probably associated only in name.

General Comments

Date of Survey

31 July 2012