Central Library

Central Library, York

Public and Reference Libraries built in 1927 with an extension added in 1938, designed by Brierley and Rutherford. The building has undergone some later alteration.

The structure is constructed of red brick in English bond with rusticated detailing on the ground floor and rusticated brick quoins on the first floor. It features a moulded stone plinth, ashlar orders, an ashlar doorcase (partly rusticated), dressed stone and cornice work, and hipped roofs clad in Westmorland slate.

The exterior presents two storeys with a three-bay projecting centre block flanked by three-bay angled wings. The central bay contains an open pedimented Doric doorcase with triglyph frieze blocks, panelled doubled doors and a fanlight set within a keyed round-arched architrave with moulded imposts. The flanking bays have small single-light windows. The first floor features an Ionic centrepiece where the centre bay is recessed behind detached columns, with outer bays flanked by antae. A full entablature with pulvinated frieze and plain parapet extends across. A round-arched staircase window in eared and keyed architrave with ogee head and moulded stone sill occupies the centre, while outer bays contain round-arched niches with moulded stone sills over brick aprons. Ground floor windows in the flanking wings are recessed beneath arcaded triple keyed round arches with moulded impost bands. First floor windows are square-headed in triple keyed eared architraves with moulded stone sills and aprons, fitted with square lattice leading in bordered metal frames.

The left return wing extends two storeys over a basement and comprises nine bays with projecting end bays. The end bays feature open pediments supported by Ionic columns on the first floor. Square-headed basement windows are set within a low plinth. Fenestration elsewhere repeats the detail from the entrance front wings. Ground floor windows in the end bays are square-headed in triple keyed and eared architraves with cornices, while first floor examples are round-arched in ogee-headed architraves with moulded sills and aprons. Dated rainwater goods in the re-entrant angles of the end bays feature ornate hoppers bearing the City of York badge.

The interior features a three-bay entrance lobby with apsidal ends articulated in Doric pilasters carrying an enriched plaster frieze and modillion cornice. Openings are round-arched, with the inner ones screened by glazed and panelled doors with fanlights. Staircase openings are square-headed in triple keyed architraves with incised panel reveals. Eared doorcases at each end have pulvinated friezes and cornices. The ceiling is pierced at its centre by an oval light well encircled by richly moulded plaster garland.

An imperial staircase leads to the first floor with sunk-panelled stone steps and a balustrade of twisted cast-iron balusters and wrought-iron scrollwork panels. The upper part of the stairwell is lined with niches. A moulded panel ceiling features an enriched dentilled and modillioned cornice. On the first floor, stairhead openings are round-arched in ogee-headed architraves. The landing is articulated in the Ionic order with full entablature. The light well balustrade matches that of the staircase, and above it a domed circular lantern glazed in opaque glass is encircled by a moulded garland of flowers and leaves. Both main rooms possess segmental tunnel vaulted ceilings. Original furniture and fittings, including shelving and seating, remain in use.