The British Museum King Edward VII Galleries And Attached Wall And Lions

CAMDEN

TQ2981NE MONTAGUE PLACE 798-1/99/1144 (North side) 24/10/51 The British Museum King Edward VII Galleries and attached wall and lions (Formerly Listed as: GREAT RUSSELL STREET (North side) King Edward VII Gallery, British Museum)

GV I

Museum gallery forming part of The British Museum (qv). 1905-14. By Sir John Burnet, assisted by Thomas Tait. Portland stone and marble. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys and semi-basement, 21 bays. Symmetrical Edwardian Beaux Arts facade with a screen of attached Ionic columns on a podium and flat, higher square erections at the angles. Commercial metal framed windows, on both floors, between the columns. Granite door frame with inner frame of enriched marble. Above this an inscribed foundation stone and gilded wreaths on the flanking columns. Cornice with protruding carved lions' heads at intervals. Deep blocking course with guttae at intervals and parapet above having, at intervals, carved crowns with the initials ER under. INTERIOR: in fine neo-Classical style. Low top-lit hall. Stair lined with Greek marble; a pair of black columns with a large Buddha between in the well and a gilt bronze lift cage to one side. Galleries in trabeated Smirke style; stripped Classical detailing. North Library, behind the stair, altered from Burnet's original mannerist concept. SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: attached stone wall to areas terminating at either side of the main entrance with carved stone lions, having crossed front paws, by Sir George Frampton.

Listing NGR: TQ2997681722