Victoria Hall

SE13SW QUEENSBURY SAND BEDS (north side), Queensbury

5/38 Victoria Hall.

GV II

Public hall incorporating swimming baths, library and council chamber. 1888-91 by T. H. and F. Healey of Bradford. Ashlar. Westmorland slate roof. Two storeys and basement. Asymmetrical but ordered facade in well detailed 'Queen Anne' style, consisting of 3 major blocks plus a single bay set back to right. The central block breaks forward and has a portico, up 4 steps, with paired Ionic columns supporting entablature with balustraded parapet. The round-arched entrance has double, panelled doors, fanlight, moulded architrave and carved foliage to spandrels. The centre bay is surmounted by a tall square tower with pilaster strips, deep frieze with festoon and carved panels, dentilled cornice and undulating parapet with set back corner pinnacles. Above is an octagonal lantern with mullioned and transomed windows, dome and tall finial. To each side block is a basement light-well with arcaded balustrade. The left block is of 3 bays with, on ground floor, a large central mullioned and transomed bay window with lower half of central light round-headed. Above is high parapet swept over elaborate shield and stag's head motif. To each side of the window is an elaborate cartouche depicting the themes of work and culture . The central 1st-floor window is of 8-lights, mullioned and transomed with semicircular head. The window rises above eaves level as pedimented dormer. A pavilion roof surmounts the left block. The right block has similar 6-light window to lst-floor. Further to the right, the set-back bay is more plain but has an elaborate doorway set in the angle. The left elevation has large cross-windows, at 1st-floor level, to main hall.

Interior: The entrance hall has doorways with coloured leaded glass, stone staircase with moulded soffits and iron balustrade and stained glass stair window. The main hall has panelled dado, stage, and raking gallery and 2 cast-iron columns.

F. Barrett, A History of Queensbury, 1963.

Listing NGR: SE1047330316