Mechanics Institution is a Grade II listed building in the Hyndburn local planning authority area, England. First listed on 9 March 1984. Institution. 2 related planning applications.
Mechanics Institution
- WRENN ID
- tired-pillar-myrtle
- Grade
- II
- Local Planning Authority
- Hyndburn
- Constituency
- Hyndburn MP: Sarah Smith (Lab)
- Country
- England
- Date first listed
- 9 March 1984
- Type
- Institution
- Address
- Mechanics Institution, Willow Street, BB5 1LP
- OS grid reference
- SD 759 285
- Coordinates
- 53.75256, -2.36631
- Source
- Historic England listing
Description
The Mechanics' Institution, built in 1878 by George Baines, is a notable building located on Willow Street in Accrington. It is constructed from sandstone ashlar with punched faces and features a slate roof. The building has a rectangular plan measuring five bays by three bays and stands two storeys high, displaying symmetrical facades on both streets.
The Willow Street facade consists of five bays, highlighted by a moulded string course and a moulded cornice. The corners are pilastered at the first floor, and there is a central round-headed doorway with the letters "AD" and "1878" in the spandrels, framed by a pedimented Ionic architrave. The windows are sashed and include glazing bars.
On the St. James' Street facade, there is a wide open-pedimented central bay featuring a modified Venetian window at the first floor, flanked by two sashed windows, with four additional sashed windows at the ground floor.
Inside, the ground floor room facing St. James' Street has plastered beams with modillions, and the windows are fitted with panelled splays and eared wooden architraves. This building is included for its group value with the adjoining Carnegie Library on St. James' Street.
Local climate
Mechanics Institution sits in one of the wettest parts of the UK, with an average of 1,280 mm of rain a year. This makes it wetter than 94% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 89% of listed buildings.
It experiences an average of 51 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 93% of listed buildings. Of these, 28 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.
More on this building
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- No EPC on record for this property
- No sale records on file
- Related listed building consents — 2 applications
- 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
Matched applications, energy data and sale records are assembled automatically and may contain errors. Flag incorrect data.
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