History in Structure

The Athenaeum

A Grade II* Listed Building in City Centre, Manchester

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Coordinates

Latitude: 53.4784 / 53°28'42"N

Longitude: -2.2414 / 2°14'28"W

OS Eastings: 384077

OS Northings: 397991

OS Grid: SJ840979

Mapcode National: GBR DKJ.C2

Mapcode Global: WHB9G.JTWR

Plus Code: 9C5VFQH5+9F

Entry Name: The Athenaeum

Listing Date: 3 October 1974

Grade: II*

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1270889

English Heritage Legacy ID: 456834

ID on this website: 101270889

Location: City Centre, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M1

County: Manchester

Electoral Ward/Division: City Centre

Parish: Non Civil Parish

Built-Up Area: Manchester

Traditional County: Lancashire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Greater Manchester

Church of England Parish: Manchester St Ann

Church of England Diocese: Manchester

Tagged with: Neoclassicism Building

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Description



MANCHESTER

SJ8497NW PRINCESS STREET
698-1/32/335 (North East side)
03/10/74 No.81
The Athenaeum

GV II*

Cultural club, now annex to City Art Gallery. 1837, by Sir
Charles Barry; damaged by fire 1874 and then remodelled
internally, and attic added. Sandstone ashlar, slate roof.
Rectangular plan plus rear extension. Italian palazzo style.
Two storeys and basement, plus added attic, a symmetrical
9-window facade, with basement treated as a plinth, raised
rusticated quoins, sill-bands, string-course, lettered frieze
(see below), very prominent mutuled cornice, and high
balustraded parapet with 4 tall chimneys. The entrance, up a
flight of stone steps, has a shallow rectangular porch with
Roman Doric columns, triglyph frieze, moulded cornice and
balustraded parapet, and a round-headed arch to a recessed
porch with coffered barrel-vaulted ceiling. Both floors have
tall 2-light casement windows with moulded architraves, those
at ground floor with cornices and apron sills and those at 1st
floor with balustrades and floating pediments. Frieze
lettered: "INSTUTVTED MDCCCXXXV ATHENAEUM ERECTED
MDCCCXXXVIII". Slated mansard attic roof (added) with
wrought-iron cresting. Five-bay side walls in matching style,
also with lettered friezes, that on the right side: "FOR THE
ADVANCEMENT AND DIFFVSION OF KNOWLEDGE". History; precursor of
Italian palazzo style in Manchester architecture.


Listing NGR: SJ8407797991

External Links

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