Erith Library

Erith Library is a public library built in 1906 by W. Egerton. It is constructed of red brick with extensive stone detailing and features a slate hipped roof topped with a cupola. The building is two storeys high, with a central front section that has a segmental arched door canopy supported by Doric columns, and an aediculed niche above. On either side of the entrance, there are four-window ranges, with pairs of rectangular, keystoned windows on the ground floor and a round window above on the first floor. The southern side has a pedimented doorway and a long, four-bay arcaded wall. The cupola resembles a square temple and is topped with a bronze weathervane in the shape of a sailing ship.

Inside, the entrance porch displays two war memorial plaques. The front range contains small reading rooms, while the main room at the rear is a single-storey space with aisles, featuring marble columns at the entrance and a wooden trussed roof with skylights. The side aisles are separated from the central bay by a triple arcade, which is illuminated by lunettes.

This library was funded by the Andrew Carnegie Fund and is a notable example of the 'Free Renaissance' style of library design.