Summary

A public hall and former public library, built in 1893-1894 to the designs of Thomas Grazebrook in a loosely Queen Anne style.

Description

A public hall and former public library, built in 1893-1894 to the designs of Thomas Grazebrook in a loosely Queen Anne style.

MATERIALS: red brick, laid in English bond, with terracotta and sandstone dressings and a slate roof.

PLAN: two storeys with a basement and attic and a clock tower. The single-storey hall has a gallery and extends from the south-west to the north-east with two entrances onto the street frontage. The library is placed to the south-east, also with an entrance from the street.

EXTERIOR: both the hall and library share the street frontage to the south-west. The overall form of the façade is of twelve bays, of which the nine to the left form a symmetrical composition. This symmetrical portion has a frontispiece at its centre, formed of a doorway flanked by pairs of Tuscan columns which support an entablature with a swan’s neck pediment. Above this, at first floor level, is a round-arched window with Gibbs surround, flanked by panelled pilasters. Above this, two panels with swags connect to the clock face, which has a lugged and shouldered sandstone surround. The tall, hipped roof above the clock tower ends in a wrought iron cresting. To either side of this central feature are further, similar door surrounds which have triangular pediments. The frieze above both the central and north door is incised with PUBLIC HALL. The south door is incised with FREE LIBRARY. On the skyline above each door bay are shaped gables surrounding round windows. Windows across the front are top-hung casements with plate glass over fixed lights. To the right of the symmetrical composition are three further, similar bays with windows under rubbed brick flat arches. The principal façade’s two left hand doors lead to the hall with the right-hand door leading to the former library.

The north elevation has one bay to the right which continues the pattern of the street front. To the left, the two-storey hall steps back from the façade with six further bays delineated by brick pilasters. Between the four right hand bays are tall window openings under moulded segmental arches. Above the windows there is a stepped brick cornice with dentil detail. The right-hand bay has an inserted fire escape. To the left, there is a blind bay and then an additional window under an identical arch in the end bay, which is wider than the others. This elevation is partly obscured by late-C20 single-storey additions to the north.

The rear has, to the left, the library extension of about 1933 and to the flanks of the hall are the single-storey extensions dating from the late-C20.

INTERIOR: a wide corridor at ground floor level acts as a lobby to the hall, running parallel to the street. At its north-west end is a curving staircase with stone treads which leads to the hall gallery. The stair has a curving, sinuous timber rail and decorative cast-iron balusters. The hall has pilasters to the walls and a panelled ceiling, with a proscenium arch to the north-east end of the room. The gallery is situated at the south-west end and has a solid balustrade with moulded pilasters and panel detailing. The gallery contains original seating. On the north wall are two entrances containing original, five-panel double doors each with a shouldered architrave and moulded pediment above.

To the south-west of the hall is the library’s original reading room, with a now-blocked issue hatch in situ on the east wall. Cornicing survives in the room, but other fittings have been removed. The 1933 library extension is to the rear and has a timber ceiling with suspended ball finials. Original tongue and groove panelling and skirting boards survive below dado height, as does much of the rail. This room originally extended further to the south but was partitioned in the late C20.

The late C20 extensions to the north of the hall contains a corridor and dressing rooms.

History

The Netherton Public Hall and Free Library (now known as Netherton Arts Centre) was built in 1893-1894 on a site donated by the Earl of Dudley. The building was designed by Thomas Grazebrook, a local industrialist and iron master, the contractors being Mr W Willetts of Old Hill. The scheme also included a fire station and police houses (not included in the listing) and all of the buildings were erected for just under £6,000. The foundation stone was laid on 5 July 1893 with it was opened to the public in July 1894. The library was extended in 1933. The hall itself was extended to the rear in the 1980s. Refurbishment of the hall was undertaken in 2006 when the library moved out of the building.

Reasons for Listing

Netherton Public Hall and Free Library, constructed in 1893-1894 to the designs of Thomas Grazebrook, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural Interest:

* as a public hall and library boldly designed by Thomas Grazebrook, local industrialist, with good quality Baroque detailing providing interest across the principal façade;

* the hall and library survive well and the plan of the building with two separate functions remains legible;

* the building retains good quality original fittings including a decorative panelled ceiling within the hall and a sinuous timber stair with metal balustrade.

Historic Interest:

* the building remains a good example of a hall and free library, constructed during the proliferation of library building following the Public Libraries Act in 1892, and is of interest for its association with local industrialist Thomas Grazebrook.

Recommended Books

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  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
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  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
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  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)