History in Structure

Inverkeithing Library, Church Street, Inverkeithing

A Category C Listed Building in Inverkeithing, Fife

We don't have any photos of this building yet. Why don't you be the first to send us one?

Upload Photo »

Approximate Location Map
Large Map »

Coordinates

Latitude: 56.0324 / 56°1'56"N

Longitude: -3.3966 / 3°23'47"W

OS Eastings: 313071

OS Northings: 683051

OS Grid: NT130830

Mapcode National: GBR 20.RYQW

Mapcode Global: WH6S3.SMST

Plus Code: 9C8R2JJ3+X9

Entry Name: Inverkeithing Library, Church Street, Inverkeithing

Listing Name: Church Street, Inverkeithing Library

Listing Date: 4 August 2004

Category: C

Source: Historic Scotland

Source ID: 397643

Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB49939

Building Class: Cultural

ID on this website: 200397643

Location: Inverkeithing

County: Fife

Town: Inverkeithing

Electoral Ward: Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay

Traditional County: Fife

Tagged with: Library building

Find accommodation in
Inverkeithing

Description

Sir Frank Mears and Partners, 1969-1971. Single and 2-storey, roughly octagonal plan, Late Modern public library, partially sunk below Church Street (to W) with small hall incorporated to NE of plan on ground sloping to E. Rendered brick. Flush, plain concrete eaves course. 3 projecting box windows to NW flanking glazed entrance doors to left. Partially glazed conical roof to centre of plan; low pitched continuous horizontal glazing surrounding building at edge of roof. Double metal doors with glazed panel to far left at ground to SE (entrance to hall); continuous stepped horizontal metal framed glazing cantilevered above. Irregular openings to NW with stepped entrance. Interior: of Scandinavian style. Boarded timber cladding between deep vertical roof beams to conical roof above loans desk. Recessed rectangular seating areas to NW of plan; librarian's office to SW with tall timber and glazed partition with decorative octagonal timber panels to lower section. Timber book stacks to E of plan. Pine detailing throughout. Hall with plain plaster walls, concrete flooring and kitchen facility.

Statement of Interest

A good Late Modern public building with a well-designed interior of Scandinavian expression. The interior of the library is unaltered in plan and is entirely delineated in octagonal form. The small hall (named Johnston Hall) has the capacity to hold 40 people; however, it is currently used infrequently (2003). Sir Frank Mears and Partners (under the direction of R J Naismith) was responsible for much of the modern urban architecture of the burgh, including the Civic Centre (1960) in Queen Street, tenements at 9-21 Townhall Street (see separate listing) and the innovative social housing estates at Roods and Deas Road (1960s). The library was built at the same date as Inverkeithing High School (1968-1973 - see separate listing) which also demonstrates a strident move towards stylish, contemporary design for a local public building.

External Links

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.

Recommended Books

Other nearby listed buildings

BritishListedBuildings.co.uk is an independent online resource and is not associated with any government department. All government data published here is used under licence. Please do not contact BritishListedBuildings.co.uk for any queries related to any individual listed building, planning permission related to listed buildings or the listing process itself.

British Listed Buildings is a Good Stuff website.