Description

WIGAN

SD50SE ORMSKIRK ROAD, Pemberton
24-1/5/133 (North side)
Carnegie Library

II

Public library. Dated 1907 on commemoration stone to right of
centre; altered. Red brick in English garden wall bond, with
buff terracotta dressings and slate roof. On end-of-island
site, with a plan in the form of a nave with north and south
aisles parallel to the streets on either side, and rectangular
wings attached to the rear corners. Edwardian Baroque style.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys and attic, a symmetrical east front of
1:3:1 bays, the centre pedimented and breaking forwards
slightly; with a chamfered plinth, terracotta facing to both
floors of the centre including panelled pilasters, an
egg-and-dart frieze, parapets to the outer bays, and a
pedimented gable to the centre with prominent coping and a
wooden cupola just behind, with a finial. The centre has
Tuscan columns distyle in antis at ground floor, framing a
segmental-headed doorway and large segmental-headed windows,
all these with shouldered and keyed architraves; a panel over
the doorway with a foliated cartouche and flanking panels with
raised lettering "CARNEGIE" "LIBRARY"; Ionic pilasters distyle
in antis at 1st floor framing a tall segmental-head 6-light
double-transomed window which breaks into the gable, flanked
by cross-windows; and an oculus in the gable with an
architrave elaborately enriched with festoons. The outer bays
(which appear to be stair-turrets) have small 2-light windows
at ground floor with open pediments, and oculi at 1st floor
with enriched surrounds. The 3-bay north and south "aisles"
have pilasters and wide segmental-headed windows; the "nave",
with terracotta pilasters and an egg-and-dart cornice, has
3-light mullioned windows.
The wings, 2 lower storeys and 3 windows, symmetrical, each
have a canted bay window at ground floor flanked by 3-light
windows, and a large segmental-headed 6-light window at 1st
floor under an open pediment, flanked by transomed 6-light
windows. Unoccupied at the time of the inspection. INTERIOR
not inspected. Forms a striking feature of the street, facing
down towards the town centre.

Listing NGR: SD5597504593

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26664339

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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