Carnegie Library

A former lecture hall and library, now a library, built in 1905–6 to a design by the architects J B & W Thornley and funded by the benefactor Andrew Carnegie.

The building is constructed in red brick with sandstone dressings beneath slate roofs. It adopts an irregular polygonal plan with a boundary wall on three sides.

The former main entrance to the lecture hall overlooks the junction of Wigan Road, Old Road and Bryn Street. This gable-ended, two-storey elevation features a short flight of steps leading to part-glazed double doors beneath a segmental arched fanlight, above which a keystone and corbels carry a dripmould. The upper floor contains a Venetian window with stone sill, columns and dripmould, and the elevation is finished with an ornately carved date stone. The gable is flanked by two corner turrets with narrow windows to both floors. The turrets' upper parts are constructed in ashlar with round windows and are topped by lead caps with flagpoles.

The Wigan Road and Old Road elevations are similar in character, being predominantly single-storey with five bays containing round-headed windows to the entrance hall and former lecture hall. A centrally positioned stone parapet on the Wigan Road elevation bears the words "CARNEGIE LIBRARY", while the Old Road elevation reads "LECTURE HALL". The roof above is topped with a cupola over a lantern. Both elevations continue with gables containing round-arched windows flanked by stone pilasters that carry a dripmould. Narrow windows flank either side of the library entrances on both elevations, above which is a stone panel with central carved keystone and carved scrollwork beneath a round-arched dripmould. Rectangular windows throughout have stone sills with panels beneath and stone lintels. The Old Road elevation has two further single-storey bays at its west end, while the Wigan Road elevation's west end finishes with a two-storey, two-bay arrangement beneath a hipped roof.

The angled west elevation is relatively plain, rising to two storeys at the north and centre with chimney stacks above, and contains some modern windows, doors and additions. A plain single-storey gable marks this elevation's south end. Roofs consist of a mixture of pitched and hipped forms. The building is bounded by a low brick wall with stone coping pierced by three entrances with brick gateposts, two of which retain wrought iron gates.

The interior is entered at the building's east end through part-glazed timber doors into a vestibule with walls tiled to half height. Beyond, half-glazed doors lead into an entrance hall with parquet flooring panelled to dado height, with toilets off the hall and a timber staircase ascending to the balcony of the former lecture hall. The balcony is stepped with benches featuring close-boarded backs, while the timber balcony rail and stairwell rail are of matching design. From the entrance hall, timber doors bearing half-glazed frosted glass inscribed "LECTURE HALL" provide access to what is now a children's library.

Throughout the library, a number of original features survive including wall panelling to dado height, doors, door surrounds and windows. Modern bookshelves have been carefully installed to accommodate the original timberwork. A modern ceiling inserted above the children's library has been carefully designed to reveal the centrally-placed lantern. At the western end of the room, the former stage to the lecture hall has been removed and replaced with a modern library issue desk serving both children's and main libraries; the stage's former modest proscenium arch remains in situ. The head librarian's room, accessed from the issue desk, contains original doors and door surrounds.

The main library has original entrances from Wigan Road and Old Road, both with partly tiled vestibules. Passing through half-glazed timber doors with rectangular fanlights above are part-glazed screens, the original timber issue desk and two glazed ceiling domes. To the rear is an alcove with stained glass windows, and doors leading to two-storey staff accommodation containing original features such as doors, some stained glass windows, part-glazed screens and fireplaces.

The Carnegie Library was funded by the benefactor Andrew Carnegie and built as a lecture hall and library in 1905–6 to a design by the architects J B & W Thornley. At an unspecified date the lecture hall fell out of use and the library was extended, with a children's library placed in the former lecture hall and a partitioned ceiling inserted to obscure the former balcony seating. Modern bookshelving has been installed throughout and a modern issue desk introduced. The small stage in the former lecture hall has been removed.