Beverley Library and Art Gallery

Beverley Library and Art Gallery

An Edwardian public library and art gallery built between 1904 and 1910 to designs of John Cash, executed in Jacobethan style. The building comprises a red brick structure with a west extension of 1928 in matching style, late twentieth-century rear extensions, and a substantial extension to the east built in 2007. The 1971 rear extension and 2007 extension are not included in the listing.

The building is constructed of Flemish-bonded red brick with flush sandstone banding and stone and terracotta dressings. Main roofs are tiled, with a copper-covered roof to the pavilion entrance bay and link wing.

The original rectangular block features projecting end bays with a narrow link block at the west connecting to the 1928 addition. A large extension of 2007 extends to the south and east, attached to the original block via a glazed steel-framed link corridor.

The principal north elevation onto Champney Road displays asymmetrical composition. The original 1906 block contains a three-bay central section flanked by curvilinear gabled end bays, with a full-height pavilioned entrance bay at the east end. The 1928 extension, set back to the west, is a two-storey square-plan structure with a cross-gabled roof projecting in wide central bays to the north and west. Both sections are partially lit at upper floors by roof-lights. Rear elevations are largely concealed by later extensions.

The entrance bay dominates the original block, clasped by piers at the upper level and fronted by a distyle Ionic portico topped by a transomed and mullioned sandstone bay window divided into 15 multi-paned casement windows over a panelled sandstone apron bearing the Beverley Coat of Arms. The principal entrance is round-arched with carved monograms "JEC" to the squinches and a pair of studded oak doors. Curvilinear gabled bays at the north and east break the cornice; each is clasped by piers detailed with horizontal and vertical flush banding and lit by a pair of round-arched windows at each floor resting on continuous moulded sandstone sills with gauged brick reveals and fixed sandstone tympana. The three central windows to the north elevation are set back, those to the ground floor having enriched terracotta panels above, and separated by banded pilasters. All windows are original timber transomed and mullioned latticed casements.

The 1928 link block remains exposed at the rear, with subservient detailing. Above it, the west gable of the original block bears a carved panel representing the Beverley Coat of Arms, repeated at the west gable of the 1928 extension above a full-height canted bay with pavilion roof lit by four windows at each floor. To the north, three windows are contained in the breakfront, detailed as the main block, with an oculus window set into the gable above with hood mould and festoons clasping a datestone of 1928. The contemporary 2007 extension connects to the original building at the south side of the east elevation and abuts the entire south elevation.

Interior

The building is now accessed from the 2007 extension at the east. The original floor plan remains substantially intact with minor changes, and a significant proportion of original detailing survives.

The original entrance hall features a green, grey and white mosaic tiled floor with geometric pattern. Ahead stands a panelled and part-glazed oak screen door with fixed matching side panels and a modillioned entablature, dividing the hall from a small office accessed from the lending library. To the right, accessed via a pair of oak panelled doors, lies the original stair hall—a double-height space containing an original open-well, open-string stone staircase with a wrought-iron balustrade and sweeping timber handrail. The ceiling is barrel-vaulted and panelled, bordered by an eighteenth-century rinceau oak frieze. All doors are original, similarly detailed with original moulded oak architraves, door furniture and brass-plated door plates bearing maker's marks. The door to the lending library from the stair hall is wider than others, containing two doors with a central fixed panel, set in a segmental headed opening with a fixed glazed toplight.

The former newsroom to the northeast has been opened to the lending library, though the segmental opening profile is retained and secondary doors remain as blind niches. These spaces are generally modernised with suspended ceilings (likely concealing original features) and carpeted floors. Original divisions in the lending library have been removed. A portion of oak panelled wainscoting survives in part of the former newsroom now serving as an office, with later partition wall.

The 1928 reference library is accessed via a groin-vaulted link corridor, which also provides access to toilet facilities fitted with original glazed tiles. The reference room retains an original oak door surround with gilded lettering without and a segmental pedimented entablature with pilasters within. It features panelled wainscoting throughout and a cornice with deeply coffered ceiling. Some original furniture remains, including the original service desk and newspaper racks, with original shelving and racks also surviving within the librarian's space.

The first floor is largely original. The stone-floored landing has a door at the west to the staff room (formerly the Committee Room), ahead to the art gallery, and at the east to the gallery office (formerly the Lecture Room). The staff room retains an Art Nouveau chimneypiece with green tiled inset and oak surround, with a ceiling panelled in Jacobethan style. The gallery office is plainly detailed with a coved ceiling. The gallery is lit from above by six rooflights set into a barrel-vaulted roof with floriate plasterwork embellishments to the ribs. The floor is polished herringbone parquet with walls painted deep red. At the west end is a wide oak-framed opening with entablature and pilasters containing two windows and a pair of doors, leading to a west gallery in the link block. The west gallery is detailed similarly with white walls and cornice set on scrolled foliate console brackets, lit at the west by a four-light bay window with polished oak surround having an integral window seat.