Holborn Town Hall And Library

CAMDEN

TQ3081SW HIGH HOLBORN 798-1/105/840 (South side) 15/01/73 Holborn Town Hall and Library

GV II

Town hall and library, now municipal offices. Library (formerly St Giles's Library), 1894 by W Rushworth (eastern wing); town hall, 1906-8 by Hall and Warwick (centre and western wing). Ancaster and Portland stone faced. Steeply pitched slated roof with pedimented dormers and pilastered Dutch gables terminating in segmental pediments to end bays. STYLE: the library with early French Renaissance detail, the town hall in similar style but Baroque details. EXTERIOR: 4 storeys, basements and attics. Both buildings form a symmetrical facade of 9 windows. End bays slightly projecting. Eastern wing with entrance to former library of elliptical arch flanked by Corinthian pilasters supporting an entablature; enriched double doors. Former vehicle entrance to left in similar style with wrought-iron gate by the Bromsgrove Guild of Applied Art. Central 3-light oriel through 1st and 2nd floors. At 1st floor level a band of Renaissance enrichment covering the oriel apron and having flanking oculi. Upper floors pilastered, the 1st and 2nd floors with bands, 3rd floor with diapers. Western wing has round-arched entrance to former town hall with moulded head and keystone flanked by attached columns supporting an open segmental pediment with carved coat of arms in tympanum with festoon and putti heads. Central 3-light oriel through 1st and 2nd floors. A band of similar enrichment at 1st floor level covering the oriel apron. 3rd floor windows round-arched with moulded heads and keystones. Central bays have round-arched windows at ground floor level; 1st and 2nd floor, square-headed separated by pilasters, the 1st floor with a wrought-iron balcony by the Bromsgrove Guild; 3rd floor, 3 oculi linked by festoons. Most windows transom and mullion. INTERIOR: former town hall has large circular hall running up through each floor and adjoining the main stair and lift. At ground floor level main hall with floor of marble in a compass design and arcade of Doric half columns supporting an entablature under a shallow dome; oak double doors, with oculi and brass plates incorporating a coat of arms, in Baroque frames; 3 stained glass First and Second World War memorial windows; original brass pendant light. Open well main stair of artificial stone and granolithic paving with marble dado. Original wrought-iron lift enclosure, in well of stair, by the

Bromsgrove Guild. Corridors mostly vaulted with granolithic paving and oak doors. Interiors of note are: the rear 1st floor Council Chamber of square plan surmounted by a central dome with small cupola light. Walls panelled in Austrian oak with Ionic pilasters and columns supporting an enriched cornice. Windows of small, patterned, leaded panes. Original brass pendant light. Beneath, on the ground floor, the former Court Room, panelled and enriched in Baroque style.

Listing NGR: TQ3036381452