Monkwearmouth Branch Library And Attached Railings

SUNDERLAND

NZ4058 CHURCH STREET 920-1/9/42 (East side) Monkwearmouth Branch Library and attached railings

II

Branch library and railings attached. 1910. By Edward Cratney; site the gift of JG Addison; paid for, and opened 21/10/09 by Andrew Carnegie. Brick with ashlar plinth, sill band and dressings; Lakeland slate roof with ashlar gable copings and cream faience ridge tiles. Wrought-iron railings. Free Baroque style. One storey, 4 windows. 3-bay centre has wide-swept steps up to renewed door and overlight, recessed between narrow pilasters which support entablature. Paired windows flanking door have Ionic shafts on moulded sills to leaded lights; foundation stones below name architect and officials. Wide pilasters define bays, the central 3 with recessed fascia, the ends gabled with open pediments. Aproned corbels on pilasters support heavy modillioned cornice, breaking forward at pilasters which rise to form corniced piers of central blocking course, and continuing along pediments which contain long Diocletian windows. Brick projections below end windows carry ashlar aprons to moulded sills; lugged architraves rise to wreath-carved triple keystones. Spike-headed railings, principals paired with swept finials and linked by crossed arcs, run from plinth of end pilasters, along forecourt, and curve up steps to entrance. The Corporation was offered »10,000 by Carnegie for 2 libraries; with this sum 3 were built, the others being West branch (Kayll Road (qv)) and Hendon. (Corfe T: The Buildings of Sunderland 1814-1914: Newcastle: 1983-: 31; Monkwearmouth Memories: Sunderland: 1989-: 3).

Listing NGR: NZ4001458032