Former Free Library is a Grade II listed building in the Manchester local planning authority area, England. First listed on 3 October 1974. A Victorian Public library.
Former Free Library
- WRENN ID
- endless-gutter-laurel
- Grade
- II
- Local Planning Authority
- Manchester
- Constituency
- Manchester Central MP: Lucy Powell (Lab)
- Country
- England
- Date first listed
- 3 October 1974
- Type
- Public library
- Period
- Victorian
- Address
- Former Free Library, Cheetham Hill Road
- OS grid reference
- SJ 842 996
- Coordinates
- 53.49319, -2.23939
- Source
- Historic England listing
Description
The former Free Library, located on Cheetham Hill Road in Manchester, is a public library building that is now derelict due to fire damage. It was built in 1876, as indicated on the frieze. The structure is made of yellow brick with gritstone dressings and is currently roofless. It features a rectangular plan on a corner site and is designed in the Italianate style.
The building has two storeys and a basement, with a symmetrical facade that consists of three unequal bays. It is adorned with pilasters and a frieze that reads "CHEETHAM BRANCH MANCHESTER FREE LIBRARY ERECTED AD 1876." A prominent cornice and a parapet with a balustraded centre are also present, along with segmental-pedimented panelled upstands in the outer bays.
The ground floor features a square-headed doorway in the centre, which is accessed by a flight of steps protected by iron railings. The first floor has an arcaded range of five round-headed windows in the centre, along with a square-headed window in each outer bay, all of which have pedimented architraves. Currently, all windows are unglazed. The six-bay left return wall has coupled round-headed windows, except for the end bays, which have pedimented architraves. The rear of the building has an arcaded window similar to the front and a campanile chimney at the southeast corner. The interior has been gutted by fire, revealing fluted iron columns. The former Free Library forms a group with the former New Synagogue located to its right.
Local climate
Former Free Library sits in a wetter-than-average part of the UK, with an average of 1,060 mm of rain a year. This makes it wetter than 85% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 77% of listed buildings.
It experiences an average of 43 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 84% of listed buildings. Of these, 23 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.
Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.
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- No EPC on record for this property
- No sale records on file
- No related consent applications matched
- Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
- Flood risk assessment
- Radon risk assessment
- Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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