Public Library

STRATFORD-UPON-AVON

SP2055SW HENLEY STREET 604-1/8/103 (North East side) 09/02/72 No.12 Public Library

GV II

Town house, now public library. Late C15, restored and extended 1901-2 by EG Holtom, and incorporating former Technical School of 1899 by AS Flower. Timber-frame with plaster infill on rubble base, and brick with ashlar dressings; tile roofs with brick end and rear stacks. 2 storeys, 3-window range with 2-storey jettied and gabled wing to left and 2-storey with attic, single-window range to right. 3-window range has close studding, part to right is C20 and has recessed brick ground floor under jettied 1st floor. All windows have leaded glazing. Ground floor has 6-light wooden-mullioned window and ashlar double-chamfered-mullioned windows of 4 and 3 lights; 1st floor has 3-light and two 4-light wooden-mullioned windows; rear stack and end stack; foundation stone to right end. Wing to left has square framing; entrance with C20 doors to right of 8-light wooden-mullioned window with diagonally set mullions; 1st floor has 2-light window with flanking single lights and 3-light window above; arch-braces to tie beam. Right end has jettied gabled attic, enriched barge-boards and bressumers; entrance with 4-centred head and overlights, battened door and strap hinges to left of window of 4 lights with 4-centred heads; 1st-floor oriel window with, on coving, 1:5:1-light transomed window with side lights; 3-light attic window has traceried lintel; end stack. Rear has single-storey roughcast gabled wing and long brick wing to former technical school. INTERIOR: ground floor has heavy chamfered beams and flat joists; fireplace of brick and tile and pot hanger, ex-situ carved frieze with vine trail. Rear wing with arch-braced collar trusses. 1st floor has exposed roof trusses: wing has tie-beam and collar truss with double-chamfered tie, braces and wall posts, another infilled truss has collar; wind braces. To right a bay with arch-braced tie beam and 2 collars with struts; C20 two-bay roof has arch-braced collar truss with king post and halved collar, double purlins with wind braces. HISTORICAL NOTE: the building was to be demolished for the building of a Carnegie library, but a campaign to save it, led by the novelist Marie Corelli, was successful, the 1st example of a local conservation campaign. (Bearman R: Stratford-upon-Avon: A History of its Streets and Buildings: Nelson: 1988-: 36; Forrest H E: The Old Houses of Stratford-upon-Avon: London: 1925-: 49-50).

Listing NGR: SP2008855086