Kingston Public Library, Museum And Art Gallery

The Kingston Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery comprise two buildings designed by Alfred Cox, with the library completed in 1903 and the museum and art gallery following in 1904. E Chamberlain of Addlestone built the museum and art gallery. Both buildings exemplify the late-17th-century 'Wrenaissance' style, fashionable from around 1890 to 1914.

The buildings are constructed of red brick laid in English bond with Bath stone dressings and tiled roofs. They retain some original lead downpipes with decorative hoppers, those on the library dated 1902. Most original windows survive, including timber sashes and metal- and timber-framed casements with leaded lights.

The two buildings occupy a corner site, with the library to the south entered from Fairfield Road and the museum immediately north entered from Wheatfield Way. Both are rectangular on plan, aligned west to east, with the library being larger. An enclosed single-storey corridor links them, built at the time of the museum's construction. A single-storey 1960s addition extends northwards from the museum's north-east corner, connected by a corridor.

Library

The library's rectangular plan comprises a principal two-storey southern section with attic, and a single-storey northern section formed of two parallel wings running north to south with a central flat-roofed portion.

The symmetrical south-facing frontage features a prominent central frontispiece flanked by four bays on either side, with tall stacks at each end and two more in the centre. The hipped roof has sprocketed eaves resting on a modillion cornice with acanthus moulding. The brick stacks have recessed panels and capping. Stone angle pilasters, a string course and deep plinth complete the elevation, with aprons beneath the ground-floor windows meeting the plinth. The frontispiece is a giant Ionic columned and pedimented doorcase with rusticated background, reaching just beneath the eaves with an arch beneath. A plaque on the entablature reads 'LIBRARY'. Above the pediment is a swag with a central cartouche bearing the Kingston arms. Within the arch is a porch with chequered mosaic floor. The doorway, originally containing a revolving door, has a panelled frame with outer pilasters and leaded fanlight. Tall ground-floor windows have flat brick arches with flush brick keystones, containing horned sash frames with nine panes each. Smaller first-floor windows rest on the string course with six panes to each sash. Three dormer windows have pediments: segmental for the central window, triangular for the outer ones. These hold casement frames with leaded lights.

Each side elevation of the principal section has a tall stack rising from just above the eaves, articulated below by a full-height projection with stone banding. Flanking this at first-floor level are narrow windows. A benchmark is carved in the stone near the ground at the south end of the west elevation. On the east elevation, a doorway to the north leads to the stair hall and offices.

The southern part of the building is ecclesiastical in style rather than domestic like the principal section. Each outer wing has a pitched roof and large arched windows. A stone cornice with egg and dart moulding runs beneath the eaves; windows are metal-framed with leaded lights. Each wing's side elevation has a pair of round-headed windows rising above eaves level with linking cornice, each with an angel head to the keystone. Below are projecting aprons against rusticated backgrounds. Flanking circular windows also have stone frames. Each wing has a Dutch gable to the north crowned by a segmental pediment, below which is a large round-headed window in an eared stone frame with massive keystone. Angle pilasters at the outer corners are topped by urn finials, though the eastern finial is missing. Between the gables the roofline flattens, and banded projecting strips are partly obscured by the covered corridor linking library and museum. Timber mullioned windows with leaded lights flank the corridor; a third originally stood where the corridor entrance now is.

Inside, the entrance porch leads to a lobby retaining the original revolving door frame and structure, opening into the main public library area. This area largely retains its original open layout, with different spaces defined by piers and some rooms partially enclosed by walls. In the southern section west of the porch, what was originally the boys' room is now the reference library. This has a compartmented ceiling with substantial moulded beams. Original fixed oak bookcases remain with brass rods to support ladders, now absent. The shelving terminates in a cornice corresponding with the beams. East of the porch, the former reference library is now divided into offices and a corridor; the former librarian's office occupies the eastern end.

A central colonnade or hall leads northwards from the lobby, defined by panelled square piers enriched with simple strapwork and a groin-vaulted ceiling with lunettes. Roof lanterns with modern covers flank the hall. The two wings, with barrel-vaulted ceilings and lunettes with angel head keystones to the inner walls, originally contained the newspaper room to the west and lending library to the east. These were open to the hall southwards but partitioned from the magazine room occupying the central space at the north end, lit by a large surviving lantern. The partitions have been removed leaving piers in place, so the northern section is now open except for a partition screen between the hall and south end of the former newspaper room. The attendants' desk originally stood below the eastern lantern at the lending library entrance with controlled entrance and exit to either side; this has been removed. An arched doorway with moulded frame and keystone at the north end leads to the museum. Within the former news room, the north window unveiled in 1905 honours members of the 3rd Royal Surrey Militia who fell in the South African War of 1899-1902; a stone plaque outside commemorates its installation. In the lobby, a bronze war memorial tablet names the men of Kingston who fell in the same war. The floor is now covered but is believed to be parquet with tiling to the hall.

The first floor is reached by a straight stair in the south-west corner with a chamfered starter newel with ball finial. The first floor was formerly the librarian's flat, with a corridor to the north and rooms to the south. From east to west, original rooms were: bedroom (with bathroom to the north), parlour, dining room and kitchen. These have been converted to offices with WCs to the east. Fireplaces have been removed and few historic features remain, though window and door surrounds survive. A steep stair with quarter turn and chamfered newel posts leads to the attic; the balusters are enclosed by boarding. The attic rooms retain their plan but lack historic features. The building has a cellar which appears to retain its plan.

Museum and Art Gallery

The rectangular two-storey principal section is set on a north-south axis, with the large single-storey former lecture hall to the north-east. Between the two is the stair block, with a single-storey office section to the south-east. A small mid-20th-century toilet block stands at the south end of the east elevation. A later-20th-century strong room extends southwards from the eastern side of the south elevation, an enlarged version of the original.

The symmetrical west-facing frontage has three bays with central entrance, defined by four Ionic brick pilasters with stone bases and capitals. The base of the pilaster west of the entrance is carved to commemorate the foundation stone laying on 6 April 1904. At the centre is a timber belvedere with balustrade, its lead roof topped by a weather vane; this is a 1997 facsimile replacement. The hipped roof has sprocketed eaves resting on a wide modillion cornice. This section has stone quoins, a plat band, and deep plinth meeting window aprons. The doorcase has a round-headed arch with swagged scrolled keystone enclosed by a broken pediment. Above is a stone round-headed niche with angel head keystone above and apron with guttae below. The Surrey Comet noted in 1904 that the niche was intended to eventually hold a bust. Within the doorcase is a shallow porch; the entrance has moulded surround with original panelled doors with glazed sections. Each outer bay has a ground-floor window and first-floor niche with stone pedestal. Original sash frames were replaced in 1936 by stained glass (described below), now protected by dark toughened glass, giving the frontage a somewhat blind appearance.

Side elevations of the principal section each have pilasters at the outer edge and two ground-floor windows. On the north elevation at first-floor level is a wreathed terracotta roundel representing a draped woman reading. Further east, the north wall of the single-storey former lecture theatre has a central bay rising above eaves, defined by pilasters with scallop capitals flanking a round-headed window with segmental pediment above. The window has timber casements with leaded lights, the central light with stained glass. Timber mullioned windows with leaded casements flank this. The eastern side has a more irregular, vernacular appearance with gabled blocks at differing heights. The 1970s corridor link to the extension partly obscures the east elevation of the lecture theatre, but above it is a tile-hung gable with small window. On the south elevation beyond the principal section, the stair block is linked to the library by the enclosed corridor, its west side enriched by banded pilasters beneath a shallow-pitched lead roof; the east side is plain with a late-20th-century door; windows above light the stair. A plain tall stack rises from the single-storey office section, currently (2016) in disrepair and likely to be rebuilt. East of the corridor is another single-storey section, now an office, with timber mullioned window as on the north elevation. Further east is the flat-roofed mid-20th-century toilet block.

As originally planned, the entrance hall occupies the entire ground floor of the principal building. Four archways to the north have moulded archways with keystones. Two doorways have original double doors with fanlights and marginal lights; the southernmost archway is blocked, and behind one to the north-east, originally leading to a cupboard, a lift has been installed. Windows hold early-20th-century stained glass brought from the old Town Hall (now the Market House) in 1936 when the Council moved to the new Guildhall. The stained glass was designed by Dr W E St Lawrence Finney, seven-times mayor of Kingston and keen local historian, in collaboration with Heaton Butler and Bayne. All windows connect to Kingston's history; one incorporates 17th-century glass from the Tudor Guildhall. The hall is now partitioned, providing the shop to the east and exhibition space to the west; the original space is also partially obscured by exhibition cases and other temporary fittings. Within the tall former lecture theatre with vaulted roof, further large exhibits and cases have been installed. At the east end was a stage originally equipped with a sink used in scientific lectures; the stage was in place in 1965 and may survive. Within the stair hall, archways match those elsewhere; one opens to the corridor to the library, which has a barrel-vaulted roof and is used as a gallery. Beneath the stair, oak doors lead to the boiler room.

The oak open-well stair has closed string with turned balusters; there is panelling against the wall. A short additional flight in similar style has been constructed, giving easier access between the two different ground-floor levels. The coved ceiling has an acanthus cornice. The first floor of the principal building is occupied by the art gallery with deeply coved ceiling with arched trusses supporting a rectangular lantern; the central trusses spanning the lantern have angel heads to the key-blocks. Two doorways within the gallery (one opening to the lift) have eared surrounds. Six strips of moulded picture rail original to the gallery are fixed around the walls.

In the south-east corner on the ground floor is the office area with linking corridor to the north. The area retains bolection-moulded doorframes with some original double doors with brass door furniture, cornices and window surrounds. The office, originally the committee room, has been partitioned to allow corridor extension; this room has a chimney stack but no chimneypiece. The room gives access to the strong room. Further east is a room thought formerly to have housed the WCs before the toilet block's construction.

Subsidiary Features

The stone gate piers south of the library entrance date, like the library, to 1903. Each comprises rusticated blocks, the tall uppermost block bearing the words 'PUBLIC LIBRARY' within a geometric frame. Above is a moulded cornice, surmounted by a pineapple finial.

The site is enclosed to south and west by a low brick wall with stone capping, contemporary with the buildings. A stone pier with lozenge carving between library and museum marks the point to which the wall reached before the library's construction. The iron railings with panels of wrought iron are in the same form as those originally in place but are believed to be post-war replacements. The gateway to the museum originally had a wrought-iron overthrow, now lost.

Outside the museum south of the entrance is a coal post—a marker indicating the point at which coal duty became payable to the Corporation of London. The cast-iron bollard is marked 'G IV R' (George IV Rex) and therefore dates from 1820-30. Below the letters is a benchmark.