William Salt Library

The William Salt Library is an early 18th-century house, built between 1730 and 1735, with a former cottage incorporated into its front wall (the front wall itself being rebuilt in the late 20th century) and 19th-century alterations. It is constructed of brick, with a timber-framed structure in the flanking cross walls; the roof is tiled, with swept eaves and coped gables. The building is of double-depth plan and has two storeys with an attic.

The front is characterised by a six-window range. It features a plastered plinth and brick platt bands over both floors, a late 19th-century coved cornice, and timber-framed cross walls framing a central bay. The round-headed entrance, to the right of centre, has a doorcase with fluted pilasters, an entablature, and an open pediment, above a six-panel door. A fanlight with radial glazing bars is above the door. The windows are sash windows with sills and rubbed brick flat arches over 6/9-pane sashes. There are two dormers of around 1860 with small-paned casements. The rear elevation includes a gabled projection and a bow window with three 12-pane sashes. A two-storey addition has a slate roof with a brick end stack and a round-headed entrance with a large window to the right. This addition has heavy plaster surrounds with triple keys, a 20th-century plank door and a casement window, and two 12-pane, horned sash windows on the first floor.

Inside, the open well staircase has a cut string, column-on-vase balusters, and a moulded ramped handrail. A room to the right contains 17th-century panelling with moulded rails and stiles, plaster panels above the door, and an Art Nouveau fireplace. A room to the left has a fireplace in the Adam style, with swags over an eared architrave. An archway beside the staircase has panelled pilasters and a key. The rear wing has a room with chamfered spine beams with run-out stops and a large fireplace with a bressummer. The first floor has a fireplace with an eared architrave and a coved cornice in the room to the left; a rear room has a late 19th-century fireplace with a timber overmantel. Other fireplaces date to the 19th century. Original features include six-fielded-panel doors and a two-panel door to the attic.

The William Salt Library was established in 1872, based on the collection of books, manuscripts, and other materials accumulated by the banker William Salt, who died in 1863. The library moved to the present building in 1918.