Carnegie Building And No. 72

NZ 53 SW 4/83

HARTLEPOOL, NORTHGATE (east side), Headland, Carnegie Building and No. 72

(Formerly listed as Public Library and former Librarian's House (No. 72))

II

Carnegie Library and librarian's house, all now in library use; 1903 on foundation stone between 3rd and 4th bay, by H.C. Crummack, Borough Engineer. Brick, in Flemish bond, with simulated stone dressings and Welsh slate roof. Northern Renaissance style, on wedge-shaped plan. 2 storeys, 6 bays to principal (south-west) front, first and 6th bays wider and projecting slightly. Left bay has round-headed opening to porch, flanked by paired consoles supporting pilasters and scrolled, swan-neck pediment. Carved ornamentation in spandrels below inscribed frieze. Octagonal bartizans at angles of bay capped with domes. Round-headed first-floor window has timber mullions and transoms with quasi-classical motifs. Blind oculus, holding seal of Hartlepool, in gable, flanked by octagonal lesenes supporting urn finials. Moulded-diaper pattern brickwork in apex of gable. 6th bay has tripartite casement window on each floor, with glazing bars to top lights. Scrolled, swan-neck pediment over ground-floor windows; shaped, pedimented gable above first floor with dated cartouche in ornamented panel below cornice. Other bays defined by pilasters, have cross window to each floor with glazing bars to top lights. Library subject titles inscribed in frieze above each window. Continuous entablatures between floors and below straight parapet with pyramidal finials. Hipped and gabled roof. Narrow right (east) return has square projecting bay under shaped, pedimented gable, flanked by recessed quadrant bays in the angles, all with cross windows, those to square bay flanked by pilasters. Librarian's house adjoins north-west side : 2 storeys and 2 bays. Doorway to left under mullioned overlight and serpentine pediment. Cross windows have glazing bars to upper lights. Narrow moulded string courses continued from heads and sills of windows. Moulded eaves cornice. 2-bay left wing has octagonal tower to first floor, with ogee dome and timber ball finial on stem. Brick stack to rear. Ornamental cast iron area railings to rear of library and front of librarian's house. Mid/late C20 single-storey extension, to left of librarian's house, is not of interest.

Listing NGR: NZ5237234115