West Bar Fire Station Museum

Police, fire and ambulance station, now fire museum. Built 1897-1900, designed by J Norton. The building is constructed of red brick with ashlar dressings and slate roofs to the main ranges, with glass roofs covering the engine sheds. Four side wall stacks are present.

The exterior is characterised by moulded sillbands and an eaves band, with a coped parapet forming segmental gables and shields to bays 4, 8 and 10. The building is three to four storeys tall, with 14 bays defined by pilasters. A square watch tower occupies bay 6 between the police station and the combined fire and ambulance stations. The building has a curved front to suit its corner site.

The police station section spans five bays and features two round-headed 16-pane sashes with fanlights and rusticated heads with multiple keystones. On either side are single Venetian windows with similar heads, Ionic columns and cornices. To the left is a single 16-pane window. The upper floor contains five 15-pane sashes, and above bay 2 sits a shouldered segment-headed dormer with a round window. Below this, to the right, are two segment-headed 12-pane sashes flanked to the right by a segmental arched carriage opening with keystone and a pair of concave-topped wrought-iron gates, with a bracket lamp above. To the left is a similar arch with a central half-glazed door with glazing bar sidelights and toplights, and to its left another segment-headed 12-pane sash.

The square watch tower has four stages, a heavy modillion cornice and a leaded square dome topped with an octagonal lantern with swept leaded roof and ball finial. Two large coped side wall stacks flank it. The upper stages feature a single small rectangular window, while the ground floor has a segment-headed 12-pane sash with keystone. To the right of the tower, in bay 8, is a large terracotta coat of arms. On either side are Venetian windows, with a single 16-pane sash and another Venetian window to the right. Above are seven 15-pane sashes. Below are three sets of part-glazed folding doors serving the engine sheds, each with a bracket lamp above, with single segment-headed 12-pane sashes with keystones between the sets.

The final three bays to the right rise four storeys and feature a shouldered pedimented gable with a 2-light mullioned window. The upper floors have two 15-pane sashes, those on the first and second floors with segmental heads. Below is a 6-panel door with hoodmould serving the Inspector's flat, and to its right a wooden Diocletian window with keystone.

Interior: The police station front range comprises an Inspector's office, charge room and search room, all with glazed brick walls. At the rear are cells, two of which are combined, with two retaining original doors. An entrance leads to a narrow L-shaped exercise yard. Beyond this is former stabling with a setted yard accessed via the carriageway. The engine sheds have glazed brick walls and iron trussed glazed roofs. At the right end is the former Inspector's flat, with original fireplaces and stairs. The first floor contains a dining room, kitchen, reading room and snooker room. The second floor houses the mens' rooms and washrooms. The watch tower contains two pole-holes and hose drying space, with a ladder stair from the second floor leading to the lookout position.

Historical note: This building housed both police and fire stations, with men serving as policemen or firemen as required and also providing an ambulance service. Accommodation was provided for the Inspector and 24 single men.