Minshull House

Minshull House is a canal warehouse that was being used as a Polytechnic library at the time of listing. It dates from the early to mid-19th century, likely enlarged in the late 19th century, and has undergone subsequent alterations. The building is constructed of red brick in English garden wall bond, with the front rendered and sandstone dressings. The upper floors at the rear are clad in corrugated sheet material, and the internal structure features a cast-iron and wrought-iron frame.

The building has an L-plan layout, with the main range oriented east-west between Chorlton Street at the front and the former canal basin at the rear, and a wing at the south-east corner. It stands three storeys high over a basement, with a total of 5x13 bays. The symmetrical west front has a 1:3:1 bay arrangement, now covered with scored render. The central bay projects slightly and features rusticated quoins and a wide elliptical-arched former wagon entrance, which has a rusticated long-and-short surround and raised keystone; this entrance is now blocked with a 20th-century glazed screen that contains a doorway. Above, there are segmental-headed windows on both floors, all with raised sills and altered glazing. The outer bays have tall round-headed openings with 20th-century glazing, and the upper windows resemble those in the centre.

The left return wall has a 13-window arrangement, including a 3-window section towards the rear that matches the central portion of the front and features a similar wagon archway, which is now blocked but has windows on two levels. To the right of this section is a narrow loading slot with a pitched canopy that breaks the eaves. The rear of the building is notable for a full-width cantilevered jetty from the first floor upwards, which overhangs the side of the former basin; the wall below this jetty has a mooring ring and the remains of a wooden wall-crane.

Inside, the building retains an intact framework of cast-iron columns, with the ground floor columns being very thick and featuring entasis and vertical fins. There is also a system of struts and tie-rods supporting the cantilevered upper floors, along with timber king-post roof trusses that have raked struts.